


Chicken Soup for the Shipper's Soul: Rare Ship Edition, Volume 2

by EzzyDean



Series: Chicken Soup [2]
Category: Free!, Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-04 06:16:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 25,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10270097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: Chapters and chapters of rare ships for your reading pleasure.  Volume 2.(includes my Kageyama Rare Pair Week fic series,rhapsody)(is marked as completed but I will add more chapters, probably up to 30, as I write more rare ships)





	1. AsaYachi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> karasunovolleygays asked: i accidentally made myself ship it, and i think you can uniquely appreciate shipping something in which most of the available work is your own. with that in mind, could i be so bold as to leave a prompt for yachi/asahi + relentless fluff?

Yachi twists the last flower into place and secures it, and the last twist of hair in her fingers, with a dark bobby pin before leaning back to check her work.  The small flowers are deep, vibrant, almost neon colors and pop out in the dark brown hair they’re weaved into.  It’s going to be a mess to take apart later but right now all that’s missing is a spritz or two of her special formula of glittery hairspray and everything will look perfect.  Asahi glances at her as she tilts her head from side to side and steps around him to make sure everything is where she wants it but he doesn’t move his head or do more than give her a smile before returning to reading his book.  She finally decides that she needs to stop making tiny adjustments or they’re never leaving the house - not that either of them would mind another day spent lounging around curled in blankets watching cartoons - and definitely not leaving on time.  A quick spritz and firm nod later Asahi finally rolls his shoulders and twists his neck to work out the stiffness.

“Were you changing here or when we got there?”  Asahi asks as she grabs her phone and snaps a few pictures to show him her work.

“Oh, um, there.  Tanaka has my outfit and Iwaizumi is in charge of makeup and apparently I have no say in either category.  Which will be okay.  I mean.  They both know what they’re doing and they know me and oh I wonder if I need to do my hair before or if I should do it when I get there?  I mean it won’t look nearly as nice as yours no matter what because you look amazing, but you always do so, but I just-”

Asahi cups her cheek and she takes a deep breath.

“My hair looks amazing because you did it.  Your hair will look amazing if you do it as well.  Let me get changed real quick and then we’ll be there in no time, okay?”  Asahi kisses her forehead and it feels like every ounce of tension from the last couple hours evaporates.

“Okay.”  She smiles up at him and Asahi thinks that there isn’t much he can’t do if it means she keeps smiling at him like that.

–

Asahi watches, equal parts amused and worried, as Hinata and Tsukishima stand exactly three steps apart - he knows because he watched Kenma push Hinata away from Tsukishima exactly three steps before disappearing once again - and breathe angrily at each other.  Once upon a time he never even knew it was possible to express anger simply by breathing.  Then he met Hinata and Tsukishima and, well, so much is possible when those two interact.  Even though they’re co-owners of Toggles Photography sometimes Asahi wonders how they get anything done with all the arguing and angry breathing oh, and all of Tsukishima’s eye rolling of course.  He can’t forget that.

Soft feet padding across the floor behind him catches his attention and he turns his back - warily - on Tsukishima and Hinata to the sight of Iwaizumi walking towards him with five puppies.  He’s got one hanging over his right arm, his bag is over his left shoulder, and there are four leashes attached to his left wrist and the whine Asahi wants to let out at the sight gets caught in his throat, thankfully.

“You said two puppies,” Asahi says after a quick greeting.  “This.  This isn’t two.”

“Yeah I know,” Iwaizumi sighs.  “But I couldn’t pick only two.  I mean.  Look at their faces.”

Asahi does not want to look at their faces for fear that he will puppynap all five of them and have to face the wrath of his tiny girlfriend and the buff man who actually owns all five puppies.

“Just do me a favor and keep an eye on them while I get Yachi ready?”

Asahi agrees.  Though it’s easier said than done when Tanaka shows up a couple minutes later and practically gasps loudly enough to be heard all the way back outside.  Asahi has to physically redirect his path away from the puppies and back towards the dressing room they had set up for today.

Tsukishima is already hovering around with a camera and Asahi is sure he’s already taken dozens of pictures of the puppies and Asahi’s hair and the leashes hanging off the back of a nearby chair and whatever random aesthetic type shots he finds interesting.  Hinata is gone for the moment and Asahi assumes he’s back pestering Yachi and the others and taking his own series of photos.

He can hear Hinata’s exclamations of excitement and awe getting closer and Asahi shakes his head fondly, mentally bracing himself for the beautiful goddess that is Yachi with Tanaka and Iwaizumi’s expert hands dressing her up.  He won’t be prepared, he knows, but he can try.

She sweeps him off his feet and takes his breath away the moment he spots her pale pink skirt and the dark lashes around her wide brown eyes.  (Tsukishima gets a shot of that moment too and is rather proud to use it as the centerpiece of a more personal project he has in the works for them.)

–

Asahi loves his friends and was more than happy to help by being a model for the photos for Watari’s dog training classes brochures and (to kill two birds with one stone) for Tsukishima and Hinata’s photography examples.  But he is even happier to take Yachi’s hand in his and pull her close on the train ride home and smile down at her look of surprise when he guides her off the train two stops earlier than usual and down a series of side streets and quiet sidewalks to a small fenced in patio.

Yachi inhales in surprise as crisscrossing strings of light turn on across the patio and a small centerpiece lights up at the table in the middle.  

“Right on time.”  Ennoshita gestures for them to come in through the gate and sit down before he slips inside.  Yachi looks up at Asahi as he pulls out a chair for her.

“What’s the occasion?”

Asashi shrugs and takes the seat across from her.

“Our friends are exhausting and we haven’t gone on a date for awhile and you’re far too beautiful to just go home right now and I love you?”  Yachi buries her face in her hands and whines at him until he reaches out and tugs at her wrist.

“You’re too much sometimes, you know that?”  She bites her lips as he twines their fingers together.

Ennoshita brings out their meal and tells them to wait until after dessert to thank him when they both open their mouths as the plates settle on the table.  It’s delicious, as to be expected from one of Ennoshita’s private menu meals, and while Yachi’s eyes are drawn to the lights above them and the sky finally starting to darken beyond Asahi takes a deep breath and catches Ennoshita’s gaze.  Ennoshita smiles encouragingly at him and nods before he retreats to grab their desserts.

Asahi takes Yachi’s hand again and anchors himself with the sensation.  The warmth of her hand, the way her fingers curl into his, the way she squeezes back when he squeezes a little too hard.

Then Ennoshita sets their plates down, a small piece of intricately decorated cake on each, and tells them to just leave their plates whenever they’re done and he’ll be back to get them.  He whispers a soft good luck under his breath and pats Asahi on the shoulder before he slides away and returns to his cafe.

Asahi stares at the small box next to the centerpiece that Ennoshita had slipped onto the table while Yachi had been cooing over the dessert presented to her.  It really is delicious - as to be expected from Ennoshita’s cafe - and he enjoys it even though every bite he swallows has to fight through a cloud of butterflies before it makes it safely into his stomach.  Yachi finally notices the little box when she’s two bites from finishing her dessert and she eyes it with caution and curiosity as she quickly finishes her cake and sets her fork down carefully.  His fork clatters to his plate when she finally reaches out and he gestures between her and the box nervously.

(Though he has no idea why he’s nervous.  He already knows the answer.  Already knows the way her eyes will well up with tears and she’ll make that throaty surprised squawking noise and throw her napkin at his face while he smiles bashfully at her.)

“I can’t believe you,” she says, voice high and breathless, as her napkin hits his chin.  “All of this?  I just.  Asahi.”

“So.”  He takes the ring from the box and looks at her expectantly.  “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!  Of course yes!”

She holds out her hand and then hops to her feet the moment the ring slides into place, gesturing frantically for him to stand up before she throws herself into his arms with a teary laugh.

–

“That’s what Tanaka and Hinata meant when they were talking about today being good practice for later and Iwaizumi shushed them, isn’t it?  They knew.  They knew you were going to ask me today.”

Asahi buries his face deeper in the blanket he had snagged from their blanket nest and whines at her.

“Yeah.  They kind of already called dibs on helping us pick out outfits and the photography and makeup and hair and catering and probably half the wedding planning,” he mumbles into the blanket.  Yachi holds her hand up and smiles at the way the light makes her ring sparkle.  Then she’s worming her way into his blanket and peppering his face with kisses until he relents and wraps her in his arms.

“Love you,” she whispers against his lips.

“Love you too,” he whispers back.


	2. WataKage - rhapsody day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: Shadow/Light/Colors

Tobio flips the sign in the window to open with an almost lazy flick of the wrist and settles himself behind the counter for yet another long day watching dust motes flickering in and out of the light from the door as the sun slowly rises and sets.  It’s when bright white stars start shimmering into view that the door finally swings open, a soft bird chirp sounding through the shop, and he looks up it a pair of eyes as blank and grey as a slate.  Watari blinks a few times and takes a deep breath, cheeks red from the brisk night air.  Then he’s tossing his coat and bag onto a chair in the far corner and a flick of the wrist has the sign clinking against the window, orange _Sorry We’re Closed_  lighting the glass.

“You know I don’t close for another ten minutes.”  Tobio watches Watari’s scarf and gloves soar through the air and hit the chair with a soft thwack, accurate as hell even from Watari’s spot near the standing cooler against the wall across from Tobio.  The cooler door reflects Watari’s smile back to Tobio, shifting and sliding and morphing into odd shapes as he yanks the door open and starts digging around.  

“I’m probably the first person you’ve seen all day.  I don’t think closing ten minutes early is really going to put a dent in your sales today.”  Watari makes a noise of victory when he yanks out the bright blue bottle he stashed in the back yesterday and twists the cap off.

The smell of bubblegum and fresh paint waft over to Tobio.

“I could miss my only sale of the day, unless you plan on paying for that?”  Tobio can’t help the grimace that slips across his face when Watari takes a deep swig and he shakes his head when Watari holds it out to him; if aquamarine had a taste he’s pretty sure it would be the same as the liquid in Watari’s bottle and, honestly, he can do without ever having that flavor in his mouth again.

Watari shrugs and twists the cap back on before stashing the bottle in the back again.  Tobio notices he doesn’t answer the question but he chooses to ignore it when Watari’s eyes flutter shut and the overhead lights dim into the twinkling sparkle of pink fairy lights and the smell of rain permeates the shop.  Shadows dance along the books and jars and bottles on the shelves, intricate patterns and sweeps and bows, but Tobio only has eyes for the glow in front of him.  The shutters slide down over the windows with a whir and Watari holds out a hand bathed in a stained glass rainbow of light shining up from the floorboards.  Tobio squints down and sees his phone ringing near Watari’s feet and wonders if that’s where it’s been all day.  He shrugs as the screen goes black and the shadows creep in again.  It was only Kindaichi.  If he really wants to get a hold of Tobio he knows what to do.

Watari slides closer in the rose pink light and snags Tobio’s hand.  Tobio lets Watari lead him to the back door and down to their basement apartment, shimmering lights and ringing phones on the floor forgotten in the wake of Watari’s content smile; a smile Tobio feels mirrored on his own face.


	3. KuroKage - rhapsody day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: Smile/Hands

It’s been hours since he flipped the sign to open and not a single creature of any kind has entered.  He had automatically checked that the door was unlocked and could open properly when he flipped the sign but he got up to double check it.  One time Kunimi had accidentally sealed the shop door instead of the flower ringed portal to hell in the middle of the floor and, really, you only need a creature crawling out and making itself at home in your linen closet once to make sure you remember to properly enunciate your spells and not mumble them.  It had taken them three hours to close the portal and another two to realize the shop door had been sealed.  On the plus side Yaku wasn’t too horrible once he stopped his inhuman screeching and shifted into a slightly less frightening dialect and he could actually fold a fitted sheet instead of just balling it up and shoving it on a shelf.  So, really, Tobio couldn’t complain too much.

Just as he reaches out for the door handle - and reminds himself to check on Yaku later cause he hasn’t heard any screeching or hissing from the linen closet the last couple days - the door swings open and he gasps softly at what steps into the doorway.

“Kitty,” he whispers, awestruck.  The cat is large enough that its shoulders reach just above his knee and it’s black-tufted ears twitch in irritation at Tobio’s voice, and though it doesn’t make any move to avoid his hand when he reaches out towards it, it doesn’t exactly look pleased either.  Long fingers stretch into view and rest lightly between the tufted ears and its eyes narrow for a moment before the cat shakes its head and pads into the shop.

“Sorry ‘bout Kenma.”  Tobio looks longingly at the cat as it hops up onto the chair in the corner and curls up.  Then he turns his attention to the man standing in the doorway.   “He doesn’t like, well, a lot of things.  Don’t take it personally.”

The man smiles at him and Tobio finds himself smiling back.  Then he drops his eyes to the man’s hands with a frown.  There’s a thin silver and red band around his index finger and Tobio is instantly on guard; it’s odd enough that he even has a visitor in his shop, but one with a familiar like that cat with that band on his index finger makes him feel unsettled.

“I’m Kuroo Tetsurou,” the man says with that grin still on his face.  He inclines his head politely and holds out his ringed hand.  Those long fingers curl invitingly and Tobio finds himself returning the gesture and placing his hand in Kuroo’s without really thinking about it.  Kuroo has very nice hands, Tobio thinks as Kuroo’s fingers slid against his palm.  Hands and fingers made for weaving magic and spinning spells.

“How can I help you?”

Kuroo clasps his hands together in front of his chin and gives Tobio another smile and he wonders if Kuroo can even make any other expressions.

“What do you know about giving creatures wings?” he asks excitedly.

Tobio glances over to the cat curled up in the chair in the corner, a reddish tan ball on the dark red cushion, and then back to Kuroo.  The day seems to have taken a sharp turn towards interesting and potentially chaotic and he can’t say as he minds too much.

“I’ll buy you dinner on top of whatever material and research costs you have.”

The offer of free food probably shouldn’t sway Tobio quite so easily.  But it does.  He has never claimed to be strong willed when offered free food, especially when someone who smiles at him like he hung the moon is the one offering.


	4. Yaku & Kageyama - rhapsody day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Platonic/Sharing a Blanket

Tobio stares at his linen closet warily.  No strange smells.  No unusual lights.  No inhuman guttural growls.  It was perfectly normal looking and all the more weird because of that.  He jingles the paperclips in his hand softly - a bribe of sorts for Yaku, the demon loves them for some reason and insists on giving chains and necklaces of them out to everyone he comes across - and considers knocking.  Is it weird to knock on his own linen closet door?  What if Yaku is doing something demony or just wanting some personal time alone?  The last thing he wants to do is accidentally walk in on Yaku doing something… private.  He once walked in on Kindaichi and Kunimi during a ritual and well he knows better now than to open doors without knocking.  

He stares at the doorknob and wonders if it’s always been that particular shade of rosy pink.   Is it safe to knock?  What if Yaku boobytrapped the door somehow and Tobio was going to be turned into something unseemly.  He knows demons can do stuff like that; Oikawa once turned him into a cactus because Tobio was somehow ‘being a little prick’ and refused to turn him back for over three days.

A feather slides out from under the door and Tobio frowns.  He’s been missing his favorite feather stuffed pillow off his bed for the last week.  Along with a quilt his grandmother made him when he was seven and the three sizes too large on him sweatshirt that Asahi left behind the last time he visited the shop last winter.

He bends down to grab the feather and eyes the crack under the door, paperclips jingling as he drops them onto the floor.  Then he slides them under the door and sits down and waits.

It doesn’t take long for the door to swing open, unnatural light bleeding through from whatever weird magic portal Yaku opened to feel more at home, and Yaku frowns at Tobio.

“Oh.  Good,” Tobio says when he sees Yaku blink slowly and his tail flick to the side as he contemplates the human in front of him.  “You’re not dead.”

“Right,” Yaku replies.  “Neither are you.”  Tobio leans to the side and glances at the pile of blankets and pillows on the what used to be the floor of his linen closet and is now some kind of pulsing, misty, golden sandy ground and then scrunches his nose and looks at Yaku.  “Just shut up and get in the nest,” Yaku snaps and falls backwards into the pile of blankets and pillow that, once he gets to his feet and steps into the closet, Tobio can see does indeed look like a nest.

He steps fully into the closet and the door swings shut behind him the same moment Yaku reaches out and yanks him off his feet into the nest.  Yaku twists around him and pulls blankets this way and that until he and Tobio are fairly well cocooned in warmth and Yaku’s nose is against Tobio’s throat and the tip of his tail is tickling under the hem of Tobio’s t-shirt.

The fact that he is essentially cuddling with a demon should probably be weird to him and maybe he should be worried.  But when he stares up at the shelves kind of floating in the air among flickering puffs of smoke and flames around them with his sheets and towels neatly folded and stacked and arranged by color on said shelves he realizes that, hey, he has a demon living in his linen closet and normal flew out the window a long time ago, if it had ever been in his life to begin with.  

So.  Platonic cuddles in a blanket nest with the demon living among his sheets it is.  Watari owes him at least three dinners and maybe even a carton of ice cream for this.


	5. KageKinKuni - rhapsody day 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Dreams/Nightmares/Solace

His dreams and nightmares will never captivate audiences, never stir emotions or make souls restless.  They’ll never steal your breath away or send shivers of anticipation down your spine.  They’ll also never actually leave the confines of his mind so that’s a plus for him.  Especially when he jolts awake in the darkness of his bedroom and searches for whatever woke him up.  Watari isn’t in town this week.  Kuroo and Kenma had seen themselves out somewhere around midnight and Yaku had hissed at Kuroo through the linen closet before locking himself in there.

A soft knock at the high window of his basement apartment sounds in time to the soft chime of his phone alerting him to a message and he frowns and feels around his nightstand for the thing.  He finally fumbles around enough to pull it to his face - and yank the charger out of the wall in the process - and glare blearily at the screen which even on its lowest setting feels like it’s trying to burn his eyes from their sockets.

His phone must have been on silent since he has 37 missed calls and 72 unread messages.  All from Kindaichi.  The soft knocking at his window sounds again.

“Give me five minutes,” he rasps out, then repeats once he clears his throat.  One knock sounds in reply.

He’s upstairs and shivering in the cool night breeze in under three.

Kindaichi doesn’t say anything as he leads the way back to his and Kunimi’s apartment - not even a comment about Tobio’s mismatched gloves and three foot long scarf - and that alone would be enough to set Tobio’s nerves on high alert.  The missed calls and messages are just icing on the cake.  He’s shivering and wide awake by the time he slips into the apartment behind Kindaichi and has his shoes off. He pads through the apartment, tossing his coat and scarf and gloves onto the chairs and tables littering the large open space, and makes his way straight to the bedroom.

Kunimi is never an overly expressive person but the absolute blankness of his face chills Tobio to the bone and the tear tracks down his cheeks sends the chill straight through the bone out the other side.

“How long has he been like this?”  Tobio settles on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Kunimi though he knows Kunimi wouldn’t have noticed even if he had jumped at him and knocked him down.

“I woke up to get a drink and found him like this sometime around two?  I don’t know how long he was awake before then.  We went to bed around eleven.”  It had been almost three when Tobio locked his own door.

Tobio sighs and moves to make himself comfortable on the bed in front of Kunimi, their knees almost brushing.  He watches Kunimi for a few minutes, searching his blank gaze and getting a feel for the room, and then nods to Kindaichi to shut the light off before pointing at the space behind Kunimi.  It doesn’t take long for them to be settled together in the darkness, Kindaichi gently pulling Kunimi into his lap and Tobio scooting forward until their legs are all tangles and he’s almost sitting more on Kunimi than in front of him.

Together Tobio and Kindaichi search through Kunimi’s nightmares, wade through the ever shifting shadows and writhing darkness, pluck out pieces of this and that until they can find Kunimi.

Once upon a time Tobio would have found the idea of being a place of solace for either Kindaichi or Kunimi unsettling at the very least and downright horrendous at the most.  Now Tobio breathes easily when they reach Kunimi and pull him back with a shuddering sob falling from his lips.  He relaxes when he feels Kunimi’s fingers dig into his wrists and anchor him - and his magic - there in the dark room.  There will be bruises later but the comfort the contact provides his friend is more than worth it.

Kindaichi drifts off first after yanking all the blankets up and around the three of them and burrowing down into them and curling around Kunimi’s hip.  Kunimi’s eyes drift shut and snap open time and time again, always focusing in on Tobio sitting far too close to him, until Tobio finally has enough and nudges them both deeper into the blankets.

“If they wake you up again,” Tobio grumbles as they curl into the blankets and Kindaichi cuddles even closer, “wake me up too.  I’ll keep watch with you.”

His dreams and nightmares may never captivate you (or capture you) but at least they stay in his head where they should be.  Not everyone is so lucky.


	6. IwaKage - rhapsody day 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Firsts/Lasts/Road trip

Smoky grey fog fills the world, shifts and swirls around them in the last few minutes before dawn and Tobio shivers as a tendril creeps over and curls around his ankle, like it’s trying to keep him from leaving.  Trying to wrap around him and keep him here in this foggy grey world forever.  Fuzzy shadows dance at the edge of his vision and what little sound there is out here is muffled.  Dampness presses at him and he shivers harder, squinting into the fog at a mass of shadows moving through it.

Iwaizumi steps out of the greyness and brings a slice of sunshine and the ever present scent of lilacs and fresh soil with him.  He apologizes as he unlocks the car door and gestures for Tobio to put his stuff inside.

“Is this everything?  You don’t want to bring anything else?”  Tobio has a box packed with his books and journals, a bag of clothes and necessities, and another bag filled with what he couldn’t leave behind.  He knows they won’t be coming back anytime soon, if ever.

“You don’t have much either,” he mumbles defensively.

“I have you, my car, a full tank of gas, and a trunk filled with the stuff I need.  I’m good.”

Iwaizumi smiles at him and Tobio slams the door shut.  “I’m good too,” he says quietly.

–

“Are you serious?  This is your first road trip ever?”

Tobio nods and watches the scenery blur past.  There’s a mile marker coming up that he has to see.  That he has to watch roll past with his own eyes to convince himself this is real and not some elaborate daydream of his.

“Mile marker 223.  That’s the furthest I’ve ever been from the place I grew up.”

Iwaizumi looks over and spots 220 slide past.  He pulls off and parks a few feet away from 223.  It’s still early enough that the traffic is almost nonexistent and he gets out of the car and waves for Tobio to follow.

They take the step past the mile marker together and Tobio stops and looks back the way they came.  Then he slowly turns and looks ahead.  He can feel something pulling at him, at his magic, and when he glances at him from the corner of his eye and sees him looking ahead as well and grinning, Tobio thinks that Iwaizumi might feel it too.

Iwaizumi reaches for his hand and drags him back to the car with a laugh.

–

Tobio wakes slowly.  He’s curled up in the backseat in one of Iwaizumi’s sweatshirts since their only blanket met its demise on a rainy day a week ago.  It’s cramped and uncomfortable but he’s happy here.  Iwaizumi has the passenger seat leaned as far back as it can and is still asleep.  Tobio concentrates and the windows roll down a crack.  Just enough to let the morning sounds in and he stretches out as much as he can in the back seat.  He’s too content to get out of the car just yet and he’s far too amused by the way Iwaizumi’s nose wriggles and his face scrunches as the sounds start filtering in and he starts to wake up.

“Can you tell the birds to kindly shut the hell up for like ten more minutes?”

“Speaking with wildlife isn’t one of my skills.”

“Then shut the windows.”

Tobio doesn’t shut the windows.  Iwaizumi throws a muffin at his head when they stop for breakfast.  It’s a good day.

–

They lean against Iwaizumi’s car, still siting exactly where it broke down that morning, and stare at the building in front of them.  It’s nothing spectacular.  Just a shop with a help wanted sign in the left corner of its front window and an apartment for rent sign in the right corner.  

 _A Moment’s Respite_ is what the last sign in the window reads in orange lettering, _Open For Business_.

Iwaizumi threads their fingers together and pulls Tobio to the door.

“A moment’s respite sounds like just what we need.”

Tobio gives a small smile when Iwaizumi pauses with his free hand on the doorknob and looks back at him with a question in his eyes.

“I’m good,” he answers quietly.  Then he squeezes Iwaizumi’s hand and leads the way into whatever future is waiting for them inside the nondescript building.


	7. OiKageTsukki - rhapsody day 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Savior/Foe/Defeat

Though he may not be able to grasp the subtleties and nuances of many things quite the same way that he can grasp tendrils of magic and weave them into wildly accurate spells even he can understand that this is not a normal situation.  While he hadn’t left Oikawa behind in a heap of broken magic and mismatched dreams they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms when he had left all those years ago.  So when he unlocks the door with a flick of his wrist and the door flies open before he can even flip the sign in the window and Oikawa Tooru marches inside in a burst of leaves and flower petals and stops in the middle of the shop - exactly in the middle of what once was a flower ringed portal to hell which makes Tobio’s lips quirk at the edges in amusement - well, to say the least, Tobio isn’t exactly expecting anything good.  Especially not after all the little odd things that he’s been trying to brush off as weird coincidences even though he knows better; his magic has never been meant to stay tucked away for long and the nine years he’s been here is the longest he’s ever stayed in one place.

“I would say you’re a hard person to find, Tobio.  But honestly I just didn’t care much to look too hard for you.”

“Here I am,” he says plainly.  Then he flips the sign to open, sighing when Oikawa flips his back with a twitch of his nose.  It was, not quite good but reassuring somehow, to see that Oikawa hadn’t lost his flair for dramatics - from mild to wild and everything in between - in the almost decade since Tobio had last saw him.

“I, the great Oikawa Tooru, am here to help you with your troubles.”

Tobio blinks at him and sighs.

“The cooler is broken again and someone broke the lock on the bathroom door last week,” he finally says when it’s obvious Oikawa is waiting for something.

Oikawa’s eyes narrow and he opens his mouth for some kind of scathing remark only to be interrupted by the distant bird chirping filling the air as the door swings open.  No one steps into the open doorway and a slick coil of worry and fear slithers its way down Tobio’s spine as a few dead leaves skitter inside.  Tobio flicks his wrist and shuts the door.  Just another weird little happening to tack on to the growing pile.

–

Oikawa refuses to leave.  He settles himself into Tobio’s apartment, much to Watari and Yaku’s amusement and Tobio’s chagrin, and insists on accompanying him everywhere.  He spends the quiet hours in the shop with Tobio.  Weaves his subtle magic around the shop and mingles it with Tobio’s, meshes it with Yaku’s, curls it through Watari’s

The little coincidences and oddities don’t go away.  They get stronger.  They darken his doorways and throw up shadowy tendrils of fog that try to snag him.  They trip him up and skitter against his defenses, searching for any crack they can.

Its when Oikawa is curled around him fast asleep and he jolts awake in a panic that he wonders if someone is going to step out of the shadows and drive him away across the world again.  If someone is going to step into his life and sweep him off his feet and save him from whatever darkness is breathing down his neck.  If someone is going to stand in his defense and carve out whatever cruel thing is coming for him.

Tsukishima steps out of the gloomy rain the next day and drips disdainfully onto the floor of Tobio’s shop and he takes back whatever random thoughts he had at three o’clock that morning about someone stepping out of the shadows.  This is not the savior he was looking for.  This is the furthest thing from a savior he’s ever met.

Tsukishima rolls his eyes at Tobio’s pointed look at the puddles growing on the floor and shakes the rain from his umbrella before closing it and tossing onto the counter.

“I don’t even know why I’m here to help you,” Tsukishima says wearily.  “You’re a pain in the ass.”

“I didn’t ask for your help.”

Tsukishima pauses in his spell, palms facing Tobio, long fingers outstretched, damp hair curling in the dry shop air.

“Didn’t you?” 

Tsukishima’s magic drifts through the air and curls around Tobio’s neck, slices away that feeling of something breathing there.  Oikawa drifts up from the basement with a hum of magic and warmth sweeps through the shop.

Definitely not any saviors he’s been looking for.  But they’re not the unseen foe leaving foggy breaths on his windows and smudgey tendrils of fog in his dreams.  So, really, he decides there are better things to spend his time on than worrying about how they manage to fit into his life so readily.  Tsukishima is the shield at his back and Oikawa the sword in his hand as he faces whatever is coming his way; Iwaizumi led him to this home and he’s not about to give it up without a fight.


	8. KageWataKuroKenYakuKinKuniIwaOiTsukki - rhapsody day 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Free Day

Tobio has never seen his shop so full.  He’s never had so many different magics around him that he can practically taste them each time he breathes.  He’s never felt so safe and protected.

Or so overwhelmingly stifled.

It’s like everywhere he goes there’s a someone or something else already there.  Wisps and scents and claw marks and sweeping tails and twitching ears and far too much magic for his tiny shop.  He slips out the back door and into the alley behind the shop, propping the door open with one of Oikawa’s many many pairs of boots lying around, and takes a deep breath of reasonably fresh air.

He’s happy, he thinks.  To be here, to be home, and surrounded by this group of beings that he’s found, more or less, himself.

Something wet taps the back of his hand and he smiles as Kenma nudges again and stars purring when Tobio scratches gently between his ears.  His wings flutter and stretch and Tobio shakes his head because he still can’t believe that he and Kuroo made that work.  And that Kenma actually let them do it.

Kenma gets his fill of head scratches and then nips at Tobio’s sleeve to pull him back inside to the main room of the shop.  Tobio lets himself be tugged through the storeroom and past the door down to his own apartment but stops in the entryway back to the shop.  They’ve managed to turn the entire main area of his shop into a giant blanket nest of some kind and most of them are already sprawled in it.  The center of the nest isn’t empty, which he’s thankful for.  Kuroo and Oikawa are curled up there bickering about something.  Tobio finds an empty spot near Kindaichi and settles his back against the counter to just watch.  Tsukishima is sitting on the counter, long legs dangling next to Tobio’s shoulders, and Kunimi slides down from his spot next to Tsukishima so he can drape himself across Kindaichi and Tobio’s laps.  Kenma curls up near the other side of the nest where Yaku is wearing Iwaizumi’s jacket and pulling everything he can find out of the pockets and inspecting it before tossing it across the nest to Watari.  Iwazumi’s lap is being used as a pillow by Kuroo and he watches his things flying across the room with a sigh on his lips.

It doesn’t take long for Oikawa’s nose to twitch and Kuroo to roll away with a yelp and then everyone is moving and laughing and rolling around each other.  Kenma mewls in frustration when Tsukishima is pushed onto him and Tobio lets out a squeak of surprise when Watari grabs him around the waist and they both go rolling into a pile of limbs and warmth and magic until Tobio’s face is pressed into Oikawa’s shoulder and Tsukishima’s elbow is in his ribs and Kuroo’s hair is tickling his nose and some of everyone seems to be touching everyone else.

He stares up from his place among the pile of limbs and the twists of magic and watches the stars shimmering into sight on the ceiling, curling into lines and letters in the darkness.

_A Moment’s Respite_

_Welcome Home_


	9. OiSou - crossover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kuroo-tetsu asked: 46 - oikawa x sousuke, do your worst susan
> 
> 46\. We are terrible for each other, and, yes, we are a disaster. But tell me your heart doesn’t race for a hurricane or a burning building. I’d rather die terrified than live forever. (mistakes aren’t always regrets)

There’s a feeling of moths beating desperately against glass inside him, except the glass is his skin and the moths are his fluttering pulse as he eyes the deceptively bright room around him and debates the merits and pros and cons of just climbing out the nearest window and never looking back.  But of course the windows are the kind of industrial strength foreboding blocks of glass that while they show you a perfect view of the neatly trimmed flowering bushes and quiet street they can never open to allow you even the barest kiss of a breeze of relief from the stifling air around you.  His lungs refuse to cooperate and his throat closes a little in panic.

He’s been here before.  Been in a dozen cookie cutter renditions of this same room in general and he literally sat in this same seat two weeks ago.  He’s done this so many times that he could probably sit behind the receptionist’s desk and answer the phone and direct the calls to all the proper offices without hesitation.

“Sousuke,” the receptionist calls softly.  “Go on back.”

He sees himself to yet another deceptively bright despite being softly lit room though this one lacks the windows and attempts to make up for it by having leafy plants scattered tastefully through the open space, trying - and failing - to create a sense of solitude and solace.  Sousuke finds the plants too green and plastic looking and the lights too bright and air too pure smelling and everything was just too much.

He settles in another chair and wonders if it is too late to find some out of the way storage closet to hide in.  Maybe he can commiserate with the mops. He’s about as useful as a ragged mop with a busted handle right now.  He can be among his people.

“Good morning, Sousuke,” another soft voice says as the doctor enters the room and shuts the door gently.

Yamazaki Sousuke is so tired of soft and gentle and careful.

 

–

 

_Wind whips rain against his skin, lashes and bites and claws at him, and he stands steady.  It’s a familiar thing.  This feeling of his heart racing in his chest and his fingers tingling in anticipation._

_Tooru looks over at him.  His hair is plastered to his face and his soaked clothes are clinging to him and Sousuke thinks he’s never looked so alive and happy than in this moment._

_The lightning and thunder cracking the sky in two is nothing compared to the rumble and sizzle of his blood in his veins when Tooru grins at him - a little wild and unsteady - and holds out his hand for Sousuke._

_The world trembles around them when their fingers meet._

 

–

 

Tooru hates the three story trek up worn stairs because there is no elevator in his building.  Hates the lingering scent of burnt food that is always in his hallway.  Hates the red lines digging into his knees and the forever there press of the brace.

“I’m home.” 

He hates the silence of his apartment.  It digs under his skin and tears at his bones and sinks into his mind like fishhooks.

He shuts the door before he even steps inside.  He hates that has to wobble his way back down a flight of stairs but he’s far too stubborn to just show up there without going home first; even if he doesn’t actually enter his own apartment.

He’s far too stubborn for a lot of things.

Sousuke lets him in anyway.  Lets him flop onto the couch with a whine.  He doesn’t mention Tooru’s wince when he takes his brace off but he doesn’t look away from him and act like it’s not happening either.

Sousuke doesn’t coddle him or encourage him to do his exercises or anything that he really _should_  do when he sees Tooru limping around his apartment.

Tooru appreciates Sousuke’s apparent lack of care for his well-being.  It’s a nice change of pace from the soft touches and gentle smiles and knowing looks and stifling support.  Sousuke’s apartment is bland and boring and a dimly lit mess of a barely functional human being on a good day.  Tooru feels right at home among the disaster.

 

–

 

_It’s a terrifying moment.  Tooru is balanced precariously on a high-wire of emotion.  One strong push and he’ll be free falling, plummeting into a future nearly as broken as his past._

_Sousuke’s touch burns him down to ashes and then stirs them up.  He’s not a phoenix.  He’s nothing that impressive._

_But Tooru does pull himself to his feet again, shaky and weary and worn, and slips his hand into Sousuke’s._

 

–

 

“You’re a broken thing,” Sousuke says as he boxes Tooru in against the brick wall of the bar that neither of them were going to go to that night yet here they are.  There’s a laugh high and tight in his throat that he chokes on.  Sousuke’s arm braces against the wall next to his face as rambunctious and joyous laughter cascades from the bar’s open doorway and Tooru winces at it.  At the brightness and color and cheer.

“Good thing you are too then, huh?”  Tooru gives him a knowing look before turning burying his face against Sousuke’s arm.  His breath is warm against Sousuke’s skin and Sousuke’s smile is a fire he knows he shouldn’t play with.

Good thing he’s gotten used to being burned over the years.

 

Tears, Tooru has come to realize, are bitter no matter who sheds them or why.  Happiness, sorrow, excitement, pain.  They’re all salty reminders of the fact that humans can feel too much for their too fragile bodies.  He kisses away the tears he can reach as they seep from Sousuke’s closed eyes, each press of his lips a biting reminder that Sousuke is just as human as Tooru is, that he is warm and secure here against Tooru’s chest and Tooru would be content to stay here forever.

Sousuke’s fingers rest shakily against the pulse in Tooru’s throat, a reminder to himself that Tooru may be galaxies and stars and burning comets hurtling through the air but they are all compressed into a human body.  He won’t make the mistake of making one person his entire world, not again, but he’ll also never let himself regret Tooru here in his arms; be it for the rest of the week or the rest of his life.


	10. OiSou - crossover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kuroo-tetsu asked: "i know your weakness. it’s kisses. you are doomed. (don’t worry. we’re all doomed eventually.)" - oisou, because i have a dire need for fluff now

Sousuke glares out the window like the scene outside it personally offended not only him but his mother, his sister, and his best friend just by existing.  Tooru glances out and sees nothing but the tops of buildings and the clear sky above them.  His apartment on the floor above them has a better view, he would know from the countless hours spent staring out the windows there, but this one has Sousuke’s couch.  And Sousuke, he supposes.  That’s not a bad trade for a less than spectacular view of the city.

Toou stares at Sousuke.  Unabashedly studies his features like Sousuke is a puzzle that he can’t wait to figure out.  Which is a bit silly.  He’s had Sousuke figured out for a while now.  They’re not so different.  Underneath all the polish and veneer and topcoats of anger and sugar and meticulously rationed smiles.  The same pulse of anger throbs in their veins.  The same feathers of dreams slip through their fingers.  The same steely will fills their bones.  The same doubts pool between their organs.  The same worry gnaws at their hearts.

No, he thinks when Sousuke sits on the floor next to Tooru’s leg and presses distracted kisses to his knee and thigh while Tooru flips through channel after channel of mindless drivel on Sousuke’s tv, they’re not so different, he and Sousuke, not so different at all.

–

Tooru’s eyes are fixed on his phone on the counter.  The screen is on and he taps and swipes just enough to give some semblance of reading something on it but Sousuke can see the jitter in his touch each time his finger leaves the surface and the way his socked toes - that Sousuke can see individually thanks to the atrocious toe socks that Oikawa is wearing today - twitch and tap at the rung of the bar stool he’s sitting on.  Oikawa’s fingers drop to his knee only once, barely brushing the skin just past the bottom of his shorts, and then his hand is back on the counter and Sousuke keeps watching him.

Sometimes Tooru is like a caged animal, pacing wildly along the edges of his apartment, feet slapping the floor and eyes darting, looking for an escape.  Sometimes he is a tamed thing.  Sprawled against Sousuke’s back leaving kisses and gentle touches across his skin.

More often than not he’s just Oikawa Tooru.  Something complicated and human and tired and warm.

–

Sousuke settles himself in bed with a quiet groan.  The mattress dips when Tooru follows a moment later and rolls himself against Sousuke’s side.  Tooru’s breaths are even and soft against his arm and Sousuke debates just taking a nap.  Not like anyone was around to be upset if he did.  Tooru would probably doze off not long after him and they would both wake up groggy and disoriented and hungry.

Or he could roll over, pull Tooru even closer, and spend the better part of the next hour or so trading lazy kisses with him.

The second option seems so much more enjoyable than the first.

“Hey Tooru,” he whispers softly as he shifts and rolls and tugs Tooru closer.  Tooru’s lids flutter and a sliver of brown glints over at Sousuke.  “Can I kiss you?”

Tooru’s eyes snap open at his soft words and a splash of red colors his cheeks.

“Do you really have to ask,” he drawls playfully.

“Probably not,” Sousuke admits.  “But I like the way you smile when I do.”  He leans close and nudges Tooru’s cheek with his nose.  “So can I?”  He breathes the question across Tooru’s cheek and smiles at the quick inhale he gets in response before Tooru replies.

“Yes, please.”


	11. KageTsukki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: if you ever manage to find a way to make the color palette work for written stuff, what about saltwater tears and tsukikage? good luck, and thanks if you do it!

Tobio hangs his head over the edge of the bed and watches the curtains fluttering in the warm breeze.  The air clings to him like a second skin and a drop of sweat tries to roll up his nostril.  The only things moving in the room are the pale green curtains, wavering like limp seaweed in the murky air, and Tsukishima’s foot tapping the mattress near Tobio’s shoulder.

“I kind of wish I was a parakeet sometimes.”

The foot stops tapping at his words and Tobio shifts his head enough to look down Tsukishima’s long legs and up his long torso sprawled on the floor to meet his longsuffering gaze.

“I am probably going to regret asking.  But why?”

“They get to yell a lot and get cooed at for it and people call them pretty and feed them.”

“I called you a pretty setter once and you said ‘yeah a pretty good setter’ and then walked into a doorframe.”

Tobio shrugs against the dark bedsheets, not that Tsukishima can see it, and drops an arm over the bed to awkwardly poke at Tsukishima’s bare stomach.  His skin is clammy under Tobio’s fingertip and his stomach twitches at the touch but he doesn’t bother to bat away Tobio’s hand.  Tobio stretches to reach as far as he can.

“And I am not cooing at you.  For any reason,” Tsukishima finds it necessary to add.

Tobio reaches a little further, rocking towards the edge of the bed until his shoulders are nearly hanging off it so he can poke at Tsukishima’s ribs.

“But you’ll feed me, right?”

Tsukishima prods at Tobio’s shoulder with his foot, trying to keep him on the bed, until Tobio rolls onto his stomach and slithers off the bed and lands as gently as possible on Tsukishima.

“It’s too hot.”  Tsukishima complains but doesn’t bother actually putting effort into moving away from Tobio or pushing Tobio off when he squirms his way up and drops his chin onto Tsukishima’s chest.  “And you’re heavy.”

“If I was a parakeet I’d be lighter,” Tobio replies.  Tsukishima scoffs and goes back to tapping his foot against the mattress.  Tobio likes feeling the gentle push and pull of Tsukishima’s muscles under his body.  It feels a little like floating on the surface of a pond with the lightest of breeze stirring the waters.

He goes back to watching the curtains hanging limply in the afternoon breeze as he listens to Tsukishima’s heartbeat and, eventually, Tsukishima’s soft humming as his mind starts to wander and his fingers reach up to drum a gentle beat against Tobio’s arm.

“You think I’m pretty,” Tobio mumbles eventually, body rocking as Tsukishima huffs and, no doubt, rolls his eyes.

“Still not gonna coo at you,” Tsukishima retorts, fingers warm against Tobio’s skin.  “And you’re not getting out of making dinner that easily.”

Tobio shrugs.  “Worth a shot.”


	12. TanaKuro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: tanakuro and kittens

“That is the most adorable thing I have ever witnessed.  And I once saw Kenma asleep in a patch of sunshine under a pile of puppies in a pile of autumn leaves.”  Kuroo sighs like a man in love - which he is - and nearly swoons.

Tanaka doesn’t even glance up from where he’s sprawled in the chair by the window, phone in hand and cat ear beanie snug on his head.  The smallest tendrils of blonde hair are starting to curl under the edge of it and he wonders if there’s any way he can convince Tanaka to let it grow out this time.  Tanaka scratches at his head through the beanie and frowns at his phone.

“Is it possible to die from envy over how amazing someone is?”

“Probably not but who is it?”

Tanaka grins up at him and points at his phone.  

“Akaashi posted another photoset of his latest cakes.  I hate him a little sometimes.  He has no right being so wonderful.  It’s not fair.  I want to eat that cake.  I want to eat them all.”

Kuroo laughs and nudges Tanaka until he scoots over enough they can both almost fit in the chair and look at Tanaka’s phone as he scrolls through Akaashi’s account.  There’s photos of his cakes, photos of his cats, photos of him out and about in the city.

Tanaka sighs and throws his phone onto the other chair in the room.

“He’s so cool it’s unfair.”

Kuroo buries his face in Tanaka’s neck with a laugh.

“Akaashi is as big a nerd as the rest of us.  Don’t worry.”

Tanaka pulls Kuroo’s arms around his waist and pouts.  “Promise?”

“I mean he could probably kick either of our asses without breaking a sweat.  But yes I promise he is a giant nerd.”

Tanaka hums in contentment and curls into Kuroo’s embrace, content to sit together in the quiet afternoon sunshine.  Until he just has to ask a question.

“Can we get a dog?”

Kuroo’s betrayed gasp fills the room a millisecond before Tanaka’s body hits the floor and a second later its chased by Tanaka’s laughter.


	13. AkaDai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kuroo-tetsu asked: “i was just kind of hoping that you’d, y’know…fall in love with me.” - akadai

He can feel his heart throbbing in his chest, veins pumping blood to the beat of the bass echoing through the air, ribs pressing against his lungs with each not quite steady breath.  It aches.  It always does, it always has, when Daichi exists so close to him.  Keiji could reach out and touch Daichi’s arm, drag his fingers down the bare skin to tangle their fingers together.  He could smile sweetly and lean in close until the rumble of Daichi’s laugh is a vibration against his chest.  He could lean his head against Daichi’s shoulder.  He could tuck himself against Daichi’s side and share playful looks with him.

He could.  

Because he fell in love with Daichi a long time ago.  

But he won’t.

Because today’s the day he’s letting himself fall out of love with him.  Almost a year and a half later.

He blinks rapidly as the emotions swell in time with the music, pressing his fist to his mouth to bite down on his thumb, nearly hard enough to break the skin, almost hard enough to distract himself from the tears trying to well up.

Daichi’s hand is warm when he takes Keiji’s wrist and tugs his hand away from his face.

He can already feel his cheeks and nose turning an ugly shade of blotched red as Daichi looks at him with worry.

“What’s wrong?”

His breath in is a snuffling wet thing - Keiji is an ugly crier like the world has rarely ever seen and he knows it - and Daichi frowns in concern.

“Oh just, uh,” Keiji clears his throat, voice barely loud enough to be heard over the music of the club.  “I was just kind of hoping that you’d, y’know…fall in love with me.” 

“What like right now?”  His face twists into something amused, apparently at Keiji’s expense, and Keiji shakes his head in frustration.  Of course Daichi wouldn’t get it.  Daichi’s been blockheaded and oblivious to Keiji’s growing feelings since day one.  He can feel his jaw quivering and he pulls out of Daichi’s grip to wipe angrily at his cheeks.

“Forget it.  Forget I said anything.  Just.  Write it off as having one too many of Sugawara’s drinks tonight.”

Daichi huffs a laugh and he’s close enough that his breath brushes Keiji’s cheek.

“Babe,” he murmurs.  “I’ve been trying to get you to date me for like seventeen months.”

“What?” Keiji asks flatly.

“I just figured you weren’t into that sort of thing.”  Daichi’s hand is warm on his wrist again and when he tugs on it Keiji slides just a little bit closer.  “But maybe I just need to try one more time.”

Daichi smiles at him.

It aches.

And he falls in love all over again.


	14. MakkiSuga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kuroo-tetsu asked: i work at a 24 hour convienence store and it’s 2:30 am and you’re buying the weirdest things should i be concerned? - sugahana

“Okay.”  It’s not really any of his business and, honestly, he doesn’t get paid enough to care  for the most part.  But this is the third time this week this particular person has come in at nearly 2:30 in the morning for some of the strangest combinations of shit Koushi has ever rang up in his far too many years in retail.  “The toothpaste and garlic combination last night was strange enough but I could ignore it.  Same with the potatoes and laundry soap and stuff the night before.  But I have to draw the line somewhere.”

He stares down at the items set on the counter: a bottle of bleach, travel size box of tampons, two energy drinks, an orange, a premade sandwich, and a cookies and cream shake.

“I just wanted a shake,” the guy says with an innocent grin.

“And everything else?”

He shrugs.  “I like to be prepared.”

Koushi pauses in ringing up the second energy drink.  “For what?”

“Life,” the guys replies.  “The universe.  Everything.”

Koushi nods slowly and finishes putting everything in a bag while the guy swipes his card and slurps down his shake.

“Well, Sugawara.”  He nods towards Koushi’s name tag and smiles politely.  “I’m sure we’ll meet again.  This is the only place open after midnight around here and I’m pretty sure my roommate has infected me with their insomnia.  Have a good night!”

Koushi tells him to have a good one as well and gets ready to go back to cleaning the display of candy bars in front of the counter when he sees the guy’s bank card on the counter.

“Hanamaki Takahiro,” he reads aloud.  “See you soon.”


	15. AkaTanaYaha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i’ve got the guts, you’ve got the glory (baby we’ll light up the world)
> 
> written for Tanaka's birthday

For all that he experienced life with a vigor and enthusiasm that could run circles around most small children amped up on sugar Ryuu preferred to spend his birthdays quietly.   Even when he was a child he was more excited about celebrating his friends’ lives and births and achievements than his own.  Now that he was, more or less, an adult his ideal birthday was dinner out with friends or a movie marathon at his place, a small cake or some cupcakes from his favorite bakery, maybe a handful of cheesy gifts.  That was really all he ever needed.

This year he had a feeling that wasn’t going to be enough.

He left his shoes jumbled by the door, peeled his wet socks off with a grimace, and made a beeline for his room.  Of course the pair of sweatpants - his warmest, comfiest pair - he swore he left on the foot of his bed were missing.  As was his favorite long sleeved shirt that he had left tossed on top of his dresser that morning.  He growled and kicked his laundry basket over, poking through the scattered clothes with his bare foot in the hopes that he had shoved them in there without realizing it.

“Do I want to know what your dirty laundry did to you?”

He took a deep breath, held it a beat, and let it all out.

“I’ve had a rough day and honestly all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with.  And my sweatpants.”  He looked pointedly at the man draped in his doorway as casual as you please with Ryuu’s sweatpants stretched snugly over his hips.

“These sweatpants already appear to have someone inside them.  My apologies.”  Keiji stepped over the pile of clothes to drop a kiss on the edge of Ryuu’s lips.  “But maybe later you can try to get into them yourself and see.”

Ryuu snorted and caught the back of Keiji’s neck to pull him into a proper kiss.  Keiji’s kisses, no matter how chaste, always managed to leave him a little wild and breathless and by the time they heard a throat being cleared from the doorway for the third or fourth time Ryuu’s mind was hazy and he could barely remember what all had happened that day to leave him in such a foul mood.

“Happy birthday,” Keiji whispered against his lips and then kissed him again, soft and quick, before stepping away.  “I’ll go order us some takeout.”  He paused and gave them both a look.  “Try not to get too distracted or I’ll pick the movie too.”

Ryuu sighed and dug out his second favorite pair of sweatpants, the pair he stole from Daichi back in high school and has no intention of ever returning, then started his search for a shirt.

“You don’t have to put on clothes on my account.”  The sleeve of his favorite long sleeved shirt - the faded Karasuno one that he had finally worn thumb holes into sometime last year - drifted into view as Shigeru reached for his hand and pulled him away from the pile of clothes.

“Well all my favorite most comfortable things are being worn by my boyfriends and what I wore to work today is now a gross soaked pile of garbage.”  Shigeru kissed the back of Ryuu’s hand and then turned his hand over to press a kiss to his palm.  He curled his fingers against Shigeru’s cheek and felt Shigeru smiling against his palm.  “But I suppose I might be able to be convinced to go shirtless for awhile.”

“Because you being shirtless is such a hardship for anyone in this apartment.  Including you.”

Ryuu grinned and brought his other hand up to cup Shigeru’s face, thumbs caressing his cheeks a moment before he pulled him down for a kiss.  Not that he had to pull too hard; Shigeru was already leaning in, more than happy to oblige Ryuu in birthday makeouts.

–

The living room filled with explosions as the action flick Ryuu picked played and he settled deeper into the couch cushions sandwiched between his boyfriends.  Shigeru’s arm was tossed over Ryuu’s shoulder and he watched Keiji idly picking out pieces of popcorn from his hair, eyes flicking from the tv screen to Ryuu a few times before he finally sighed.

“Sorry bout that?”  Ryuu hunched his shoulders up a little and gave his best innocent smile to Keiji.  Shigeru snorted beside him and leaned forward enough to flick one of the few pieces of popcorn left in the bowl after their impromptu popcorn fight at Keiji.  He giggled triumphantly when it bounced squarely off Keiji’s nose and Keiji scowled at him.

“Oh no,” Shigeru stage whispered.  His breath brushed Ryuu’s ear and Ryuu shivered. “He’s got his grumpy old man face on.”

Keiji made a disgusted noise and rolled his eyes at Shigeru.  Then his gaze was steady on Ryuu again.  It wasn’t anything new.  Keiji tended to stare a lot.  It was one of the things that Ryuu loved about him: his blunt, straightforward personality.  Sometimes Ryuu wondered how someone as seemingly collected and calm as Keiji was managed to not only tolerate Ryuu but actually like him.  Most of the time, however, he just thanked whatever deities were listening that he got to spend his life right now with Keiji and Shigeru.  They had grown into his two favorite people in the world and he would do anything for them.

“I love you,” Keiji said.

Ryuu and Shigeru both froze in the middle of Ryuu trying to shove a piece of popcorn he had found buried in the couch cushions into Shigeru’s mouth and turned to stare at Keiji.  While they both knew that he cared for them deeply, declarations of love were not exactly common from him.

Ryuu squinted at him suspiciously for a moment.  “Okay, when you say love, do you mean love as in like loving pizza or, you know, as in love, love?”

The pillow hitting him in the face was to be expected.

Keiji following the pillow and flopping himself against Ryuu’s chest so that he fell backwards against Shigeru’s chest was slightly less expected.  But much more appreciated.

Ryuu traced the tiny curve of Keiji’s lip with his thumb as they smiled at each other: Ryuu’s smile as blinding as always and Keiji’s small and almost secretive.  Shigeru wrapped his arms around Ryuu’s waist and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and Ryuu could feel his smile too.

Here they all were, twenty-four years old and piled onto a couch that really wasn’t large enough for all three of them, grinning at each other like idiots.

Keiji propped his chin on Ryuu’s chest, eyes flickering between Ryuu and Shigeru.  “You look,” he trailed off.

“Beautiful, I know,” Shigeru sniffed haughtily.

“Happy,” Keiji said simply.  The bubble of laughter that had been working its way up Ryuu’s chest at Shigeru’s words caught as he sucked in a breath at Keiji’s words.  He tried to blink away the sudden tears springing up in his eyes and Shigeru buried his face against Ryuu’s neck with a groan.

“You can’t just _say_ stuff like that Keiji,” Shigeru whined and Ryuu could feel the blush on Shigeru’s cheeks.

“You gotta stop doing that,” Ryuu agreed.

“Doing what?”  Keiji blinked up at him with amusement sparkling in his eyes.

“Saying stuff that makes me wanna kiss you.”

“Then kiss me, Birthday Boy.”

So Ryuu did.


	16. AsaTanaMakkiAka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: the library’s pretty empty save for you and me and oh that couple making out loudly in the shelves somewhere asatanamakkiaka :)
> 
> (because of course none of us can do the usual 3/5 day (aka we can’t pick a ship) we have AsaTanaMakkiAka to celebrate today)

The first few shaky breaths and badly hushed protestations barely even register which, in Ryuu’s mind, just goes to show how badly he needs to focus on passing the test he’s trying to study for.  From his spot across the small table Hanamaki glances up from his own homework and gives the corner of the library they’re tucked away in a suspicious look.  They almost always pick this particular table because it’s tucked away from the rest of the library and no one ever seems to need to reference any of the books in these shelves which is excellent since they both need as little distraction as possible.  Which is why they can’t study in either of their dorm rooms since their roommates are both infinitely distracting in their own ways.

A series of shuffling noises and muffled groans make Ryuu look up from his notes and make a face at Hanamaki.  Hanamaki shrugs and rolls his eyes.

“Probably just some dumb kids making out.”  Hanamaki reaches over and taps Ryuu’s notes.  “Focus.”

So he does.

Until the sound of a handful of books sliding off the floor and thumping to the ground catches his attention and he jerks in his chair.  They both wait a few moments to see if anyone is going to come out from the nearby shelves or come up from the more populated areas to scold whoever is making the noises.  Nothing happens except another barely muffled groan and Ryuu huffs in frustration.

Now normally he would be all for letting his fellow students get in some probably needed making out and possible ass grabbing.  But he actually really needed to study today and he was trying really hard and if he didn’t pass this test he was going cry.  Big gross crocodile tears of frustration and shame.  So he would really appreciate the quiet atmosphere this corner of the library was supposed to be giving him.

Hanamaki apparently agrees because he is barely a step behind Ryuu as he pushes away from the table and stalks over to the nearby shelves to locate the source of the noises.

He expects to see two people making out, apparently oblivious to the fact that they are in a library and people are nearby.  He doesn’t expect to know either of the people or, in fact, both of them.

“Akaashi?” he asks his roommate incredulously.  “A-Asahi?” he stutters as he watches Hanamaki’s roommate pull away from Akaashi and lean on the opposite bookshelf sheepishly.

Of all the people he knew that he _might_  have expected to be making out in the library Asahi and Akaashi were not on the list.  Even if they had been he definitely wouldn’t have expected to see Asahi being the one pinning Akaashi to the bookshelf.

“He started it,” Asahi whispers, petulant even with his face seemingly on fire with mortification at being caught.  Though Ryuu isn’t sure if it’s just at being caught or if it’s because he got caught by someone he knows.

“You weren’t protesting anything,” Akaashi states.  His face is flushed too but to Ryuu it looks more like satisfaction than anything else.  Like the cat with the cream or canary or however that particular saying went.

“Hard to protest with your tongue in my mouth and your hands down my sweatpants,” Asahi states back and if Ryuu’s head hadn’t already been spinning seeing Asahi being all sassy and mouthy to someone would have done it.

“You know,” Hanamaki finally says and Ryuu startles; in his stupor at the sight in front of him, he had forgotten that Hanamaki was right behind him.  “We come to the library to get away from the distractions of our roommates.”

Akaashi studies Hanamaki over Ryuu’s shoulders, gaze heavy, and then flicks his eyes onto Ryuu.

“Oh I know.”

Asahi whines.  “Akaashi is _that_  why you insisted on doing this _here_?  Cause of your silly crush?”

“You agreed cause of your silly crush.”

“Akaashi!”

“Asahi.”

“Tanaka,” Hanamaki whispers and Ryuu shudders at the sudden closeness.  “I have a feeling we’re not going to get much studying done here tonight.”  Ryuu nods distractedly as he watches Asahi and Akaashi bickering quietly.  “I’m pretty sure that’s Asahi’s key ring on the floor on that jacket.  You nab it, I’ll get our stuff from the table, we book it back to his and my room, and pretend to study there.”

Ryuu turns his head, nose brushing Hanamaki’s cheek as he does, and grins.

“Let’s do it.”


	17. AsaTanaMakkiAka - serenade 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ryekamasaki asked: double 3/5's: asatanaakamakki: imagine person a as a pirate (with persons c, d, etc as part of their crew) and person b as a siren. what happens when b sings to seduce a’s crew

“I am the infamous Pirate Tanaka and I will not fall for some random siren’s song.”

That was what he said.

Those were the words that had tumbled confidently from his mouth.

Yet here he is.  Staring at the gorgeous creature sitting on the nearby rocks.  Unable to do anything more productive than make pained noises and blink rapidly.

They had made it to shore safe and sound and gathered the supplies they had hidden away on the small island.  It was getting back to the ship that seemed to be causing them some trouble.  Everything was going along perfectly fine, the sun was shining and the sky was clear.

Then a refreshing breeze picked up and before any of them could enjoy it a melancholic melody floated over to them.

It was sweet, so overwhelmingly sweet and supple and the finest velvet running through calloused fingers.  But it was bitter too.  The bite of too ripe apples and the taste of lightning after a storm.

Makki gave him a wary look.  Keiji gave him a coolly calculative one.  Ryuu grinned back at them both, full of confidence and bravado.

He could do this.  He was Captain Tanaka of the _Serenade_ , the sturdiest ship on the seas.  He lead his men straight down to the water’s edge and froze at the sight waiting for them.  Sitting on the rocks next to the dock - long legs hanging down to the water, wisps of wavy dark hair fluttering in the breeze, eyes closed against the sunlight glinting off of smooth skin and shifting muscles - was the most breathtaking creature he had ever seen.  And he had the rare pleasure of having seen Keiji pinning Makki to the wall of Ryuu’s quarters with wild eyes and a bruised cheek and the blood of their enemies soaking his clothes on more than one occasion so that was saying something.

And the song.   _The song._ It pulled at him.  Curled around his ribs like a vine and sank roots into his bones.  It promised him home and warmth and a roaring fire waiting for him.  But it chilled him.  Those tendrils pricked with ice and loss and candles flickering out in windows with their purpose long forgotten.  It promised him adventures and tears and memories he’d never forget and those he wished he could.  It took every ounce of feeling inside him and burned it brighter than cannonfire and left him feeling hollower than an empty hold.

Makki took a deep breath behind him and Ryuu snapped out of his wandering mind a moment before his boot hit the water; he hadn’t even been aware of moving forward.

Sad brown eyes peeked at him from under that wavy hair.

“Won’t you stay and listen to my song?”

Keiji popped up from the water and grabbed onto the rowboat they had left at the tiny dock with a shuddering breath and glared at them all.

“You.  Asshole,” he gritted out through shivers as he pulled himself up and flopped into the rowboat.  “You absolute jerk.”

“Asahi,” Ryuu scolded.  Those sad eyes sparkled with mischief and a tentative smile crept onto the siren’s face.

“You remembered me?”

“I never forget someone who tries to drown me every time they see me.”  Ryuu grinned and sauntered down to the dock to toss his bags in next to Keiji.  “Or anyone as breathtaking as you.  And I would love to stay and listen to you for awhile.”

“Just try to keep us out of the water would ya?”  Makki asked as he hopped up onto the rocks next to Asahi and ran his fingers through Asahi’s damp hair.

“No guarantees,” Asahi said.

Keiji glared up at them from the rowboat, murder in his eyes, but Ryuu knew before long he would be wringing the water from his clothes and settling next to Ryuu in the sand and critiquing the braids Makki was already starting to weave into Asahi’s hair.

He was the infamous Pirate Tanaka and he might not fall for just any random siren’s song but he fell for this one years ago and he’s never regretted it for a moment.


	18. AsaTanaMakkiAka - serenade 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: we just survived a sea battle and now you're pinning each other to the walls of my captain's quarters and you're soaked in the blood of our enemies what do, tanamakkiaka ;)
> 
> (in the same au as the previous chapter)

All Ryuu was planning on doing now that the looting and scuttling and dealing with their enemies was taken care of and they were on their way once again was washing the remnants of battle from his skin and digging through whatever treasures Keiji had deemed worthy of depositing in Ryuu’s quarters.  He expected to perhaps find his Quartermaster lounging in Ryuu’s chair like he so often did, deft fingers twirling trinkets in the air as he waited for the Captain to make an appearance.  Lately their Master Gunner, a smug man by the name of Hanamaki, had been joining them after battles and skirmishes.  Giving updates on the state of their weapons and the _Serenade_ ’s ammunition supply that were not necessarily needed right then but did seem to make Ryuu’s job easier.

So he was planning on a good wipe down, some treasures to dig through, a quick report on the state of the crew and the ship and then maybe a few, or few dozen he hadn’t really decided, swigs of rum and probably calling it a day well spent.

He was not planning on walking in to the sight of Keiji pinning Hanamaki’s hands beside his head and nearly devouring his throat.  Keiji’s grip was brutal, Ryuu knew from experience, and when Hanamaki groaned and tried to pull his hands free only to have Keiji squeeze harder and nearly slam them against the wood in warning he winced in sympathy.  Then he adjusted himself in his pants none to subtly and closed the door behind himself because this was one of the finest sights he had been given the privilege of seeing in quite some time. 

“Oh no.  Don’t stop on my account,” he announced when Hanamaki’s eyes met his and Hanamaki froze under Keiji’s body.  “Don’t worry I, at least, remembered to lock the door behind me.”

Keiji’s dark eyes flickered over Ryuu, lingering on the hole in his shirt where a dagger had nicked him just enough to dye the edges of the hole red, ghosting over the dirty smears on his shirt and the telltale bulge growing in his pants, lingering once again on the dust on his dark pants where he had dropped to one knee to steady a shot he took at a man with his blade to Keiji’s throat, and then back up to Ryuu’s face.  Ryuu, in turn, took the chance to eye the blossoming bruise on Keiji’s cheek and the blood staining his shirt, though Ryuu couldn’t find a tear or scratch.

“None of it’s mine,” Keiji said roughly.

Ryuu looked at Hanamaki then, a smear of blood across his cheek and bloodied hand prints around his wrists and a line of reddened marks already blooming down his throat, and rolled his eyes.

“What am I going to do with you, Keiji?”

“I think the better question is what _aren’t_  you going to do with me.”   Keiji grinned at him, a wicked quirk of his lips, and then it was gone.   “Captain Tanaka.”

“Well I am certainly not going to try to pin you against a wall.  I only needed to make that mistake once,” Ryuu stated.  

He dropped onto his small desk and pulled off his boots, he might as well make himself comfortable.  Cleaning up was out of question mostly because he loved the fire sparkling in Keiji’s eyes and knew part of it was from his roughened appearance.  All of their appearances really.  Keiji, for all his seemingly delicate beauty, craved the grittiness of life and when it was placed in front of him on a platter he was loathe to turn away from it.  So Ryuu tossed his boots near the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, inspecting his dirty nails and the bandage around his palm that had come loose during the fight, and felt every moment that Keiji’s eyes raked over him.

“You are a wiser man than you appear, my dear Captain.”

“And you are crueler than you appear, Quartermaster.”

Hanamaki, wisely, kept his mouth shut for the moment.  But he squirmed the slightest bit and Ryuu watched his throat bob as he swallowed when when Keiji’s gaze returned to him.

“And what did poor Hanamaki do to you to earn being pinned to my wall.  Or should I say ‘lucky’ Hanamaki instead?”

“He noted that I seemed rather, well, tense, while waiting for your arrival and asked if there was anything he could do for me.”  Keiji leaned heavily against Hanamaki.  “There were other things said, I know, but one thing led to another I suppose and now we’re here.”

Hanamaki didn’t seem to mind being ‘here’ since it involved Keiji going back to kissing and biting his way along Hanamaki’s throat down to his collarbone and then back up the other side and the groan he let out when Keiji lifted his knee and slid it between Hanamaki’s thighs made Ryuu’s toes curl against the floor.

Keiji had Hanamaki panting and squirming against Ryuu’s wall in a matter of minutes, or so he assumed.  He really lost track of time when he watched Keiji at work like this.  He finally pushed away from his desk and moved to join the other two, perhaps he would sink down and get his other knee dusty and dirty and relieve the pressure Hanamaki seemed to be feeling, if his bitten off whimpers and throaty groans were any indication and Ryuu wondered for a moment what sort of arrangement he and Keiji had made before Keiji pinned him to the wall because Hanamaki hadn’t said a single word yet and while he wasn’t always the most talkative person on Ryuu’s crew Ryuu can’t remember ever seeing him go so long with saying something or flirting with someone or making a crude joke of some kind.

Ryuu eyed the floor between Keiji and Hanamaki and glanced at Keiji, grinning when Keiji raised an eyebrow and slid his feet back just enough so that Ryuu would fit between them without being completely smothered.  He shifted to drop to his knees, eyes flickering up when Hanamaki sucked in a surprised breath, and froze when a loud knock pounded at the door.

“Captain,” Tsukishima’s voice rang out clearly, and a little smugly in Ryuu’s opinion.  “You’re gonna wanna see this.  All of you are.”

“I am going to kill him,” Keiji hissed as he dropped Hanamaki’s wrists and stalked to the door.

Ryuu sighed and resigned himself to pulling his boots back on and trying to keep his Quartermaster from killing one of his best navigators for the next week.  So much for his relaxing plans.


	19. KuroYuiIwaOi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> grand-inquisitor-of-feels asked: things you said with too many miles between us for either kuroyuiwa or iwaoi, whichever you feel more comfortable with

It’s easier to talk at times like this; to confess secrets and worries and fears and dreams in the softness of the twilight.  Those moments just before the sun rises or sets, those little bubbles of time where your breath is held and your voice is as hushed as the rest of the world and you swear you can feel eternity running through your veins.  Or maybe that’s just the energy drinks and coffee finally kicking in.

Yui yawns and scrubs her hand across her face.  Things like time zones and the true depth of the canyon of separation that they cause had never really been of importance to her until she met Them.  Capital ‘T’ Them.  Important people.   The people she kind of considered maybe wanting to spend a large portion of the rest of her life with.  Or at least around.

“Yui.  Which one?  I need help here.”

“Tooru, stop panicking.  You’ll look good no matter what you wear.  And even if you showed up looking hideous somehow believe me neither of them are going to care.”

Tooru pouts at her through her screen and rattles clothes hangers in front of his camera for emphasis.  “You are not helping me here Yui.  I need to look amazing.”

“I know you’re not fishing for compliments but seriously Tooru.  You’ll look amazing no matter what.  Show up in a burlap sack and they’ll still look at you like you’re draped in edible gold.”

Tooru scoffs quietly and tosses his clothes onto his bed.  “I will if you will,” he finally says after he settles in front of his computer.

“What?  Show up in a burlap sack or edible gold?”

“Either.”  He buries his face in his hands and lets out a groan.  “How can you be so calm?  We haven’t seen them in person for two years.  What if they’re different?”  His eyes are wide and watery when he peeks at her through his fingers.

“Oh Tooru,” she whispers.  

 

Calm was the last thing she was.  Two years ago she might have laughed at the thought of being so worked up over seeing Kuroo Tetsurou and Iwaizumi Hajime.  She barely knew either of them when she had agreed to accompany Tooru, her partner for a class project at the time, to the airport.  Why he had chosen her and not one of his closer friends she still didn’t know.  But she had been the one to wrap an arm around his waist and lead him to a quiet corner that day.  She had been the one whose shoulder he buried his face against and sobbed into.  She had been the one to offer to buy him something sweet on the way back to his apartment.

She had been there for him from the moment he lost two of the biggest pieces of himself.  She had been there for him as he found out how to work without those pieces, found out how to rebuild himself into something even more amazing than he was before.  She had been there for him the first time he and Kuroo and Iwaizumi had a Skype date, she was in the living room while he cried at their faces in the bedroom but she was still there.  Then she was being included on the conversations, quick flashes of her saying hello, the video call being left on while she and Tooru worked on their project or worked on separate homework.  She’d answer questions about how Tooru was _really_ doing when he’d step away for a few minutes.

At some point they started messaging her directly.  Asking if she knew why Tooru was short tempered this day or if he had been working too hard that day.  Was he actually sick or did he just not want to talk to them just then.

Was he really doing okay with the two of them together so far away from him?

—

“You kind of love him, don’t ya?” Kuroo had asked one night when it was just her and him and a bottle of wine each on either side of the computer screen, and the world.

She thought about that question for a long time.  Both of them content with each other’s silence as they studied each other through the screen.

“I think I kind of might.  Will you guys hate me if I do?”  She finally replied.

Kuroo’s wild laughter was softened by the wine into something throaty and beautiful and maybe she was a little in love with him too at that point.

“I don’t think so.  How could we hate the person he has by his side when they’re as lovely and amazing as you?”  Kuroo had taken a deep breath and bit his lip nervously.  “But tell me.  And don’t lie.  Do you think he hates us for leaving?”

Yui smiled at him and drained her glass.  “He could never hate you for chasing your passions.  Even if it took you away from him.  As long as you come back.”

—

“His sweet innocent smile doesn’t work on me.  So don’t think yours will, no matter how cute it makes you.”  Iwaizumi glared at her from her phone screen, blush apparent even on his dark skin, and she grinned back at him.

“He’s the one who wanted to try it.”

“Just because he wanted to try on makeup doesn’t mean you had to make him look so… so…” Iwaizumi growled and Yui watched the scenery blur as he threw his phone onto what looked like his bed.

“Gorgeous?  I’m pretty sure that’s his natural state.  It’s unfair really.”

“What’s unfair is that you two are all the way over there and I’m all the way over here.”

It was Yui’s turn to blush as she watched the screen blur again until it focused in on Iwaizumi.

“You make it sound like you miss me too, Iwaizumi.”

Iwaizumi shrugged and met her eyes.  “Is that so bad?  I know we barely met in person before I left but is it so weird that I’m looking forward to seeing you again too?”

“No,” she whispered.  “I don’t think it is at all.”

—

Yui wraps her arm around Tooru’s waist and smiles up at him.

“You ready for this?”

“Yes.”

Neither of them are wearing burlap sacks or draped in edible gold.  But both Hajime and Tetsurou look like they’ve been blessed when they spot them and rush to sweep them into their arms.  Yui laughs as Tetsurou twirls her around and when he finally tucks her against him for a hug she spots Tooru with his face buried against Hajime’s and Hajime’s arms tight around him.

Hajime smiles at her and holds out an arm and Tetsurou wastes no time in shoving them both forward until all four of them are hugging and crying and causing a scene in the middle of the airport.

“Welcome home,” she says softly after she’s stopped crying for now.

“We’re finally home,” Hajime replies.  “You hear that Tooru?  We’re home.”

Tooru’s smile makes Yui tear up again when he turns to her and pulls her into a hug.  She could stay here forever, she decides then and there.

“Thank you,” he whispers in her ear.


	20. TsukkiHina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: do you think you could do something (for any hq ship) with this dialogue as a prompt: "hey remember when i said it was 'just a crush' and that i would 'literally never fall so low'?" "yeah?" "i was wrong. i'm entirely screwed. help me." ? :3 thanks in advance if you do it!

Some days Kei really wished he was one of those people who didn’t remember their dreams at all.  Because then he wouldn’t remember the way a certain smile in his dream made his pulse flutter in his throat.  He wouldn’t remember the way someone’s hair felt under his fingers - hair he had never touched in real life except in an attempt to shove said someone away from him.  If he couldn’t remember his dreams he wouldn’t be constantly catching himself staring and wondering if someone’s lips felt the same in real life as they had in a dream.

He wanted to bash his head into something.  Preferably a wall or a maybe a desk.  He nearly managed to ram his nose into the door of the club room when he was too busy daydreaming about lips and sunshine smiles and never ending energy to watch where he was going.  A familiar laugh guffawed through the air at his mishap and he made a slightly rude gesture over his shoulder at his best friend slash captain as he changed.

Kei was, as usual these days, the last one finished and he lingered a bit longer, spinning the club room key ring around his finger and contemplating his life choices from birth up to about ten minutes ago when he was debating using his vice-captain status to insist a certain teammate stay behind with him.  He had a very specific dream that involved the club room and burying his fingers into soft hair that he had been itching to replicate in real life.  

Okay so it was less contemplation and more like he was simultaneously trying to talk himself into and out of calling a certain former volleyball captain and spilling his guts to him.  Laughter from outside drifted up to him, echoing with the dream laughter still in his head, and he dug his phone out of his bag.

“Hey remember when I said it was ‘just a crush’ and that I would ‘literally never fall so low’?” Kei blurted out before Kuroo even had a chance to greet him.

“Uh, sure?”

“Yeah I was wrong.  I am entirely screwed.  Help me.”

“Why does everyone think I can help them with their love life?  I mean.  Have you guys _seen_ my love life?  Or lack thereof.  Not to, you know, put myself down but suave sex god romance expert I am not.”

Kei groaned.  “Believe me.  You are a last resort.  It was either you, Bokuto-san, or Suga-san.”

Kuroo took a deep breath and Kei could practically hear him blinking over the line.  “Yikes.”

“Yeah.  So, and believe me I hate to ask you of all people this, do you have any words of wisdom for me?”

“Oh, Tsukki.”

“Don’t ‘oh Tsukki’ me, Kuroo.  Just.  For once I am more or less willingly coming to you for advice.  Do you have any for me?”

He shoved the last of his stuff into his bag and hit the lights on his way to the door.  He had small mountain of homework he needed to finish and it wasn’t going to get done moping around in the club room and regretting his choice to call Kuroo of all people.  What was he thinking?  Oh yeah.  He wasn’t.  He was too busy dreaming about meaningless things and getting distracted by the lines of someone’s body when they jumped and the way their hair fell into their wide eyes and damn it he was so screwed.

“I dunno,” Kuroo said.  “Have you tried, you know, talking to him?  Maybe telling him how you feel?”  Kei scoffed and backed out of the club room, shutting the door on the way, keys jingling in his hand.  “Tell him about your big fat crush and how you long to hold him in your arms and feel his heart beat wildly against your chest?”  There was the teasing he had been expecting from the start.

“Ah yes,” Kei said dryly.  “I’m just going to walk right up to him and say ‘hey Hinata I can’t stop thinking about you and I kind of like your dumb face and I dream about kissing you maybe we should go out sometime’ and hope for the best.”

The sound of a bag dropping to the landing behind him caught his attention and he glanced over his shoulder to see Hinata squinting at him almost suspiciously, like he wasn’t sure why Kei, of all people, was still hanging around the club room.  Something twisted in his chest at the sight of his big dumb stupid crush standing just a few feet away and he made a show of twisting the keys loudly in the lock and stepping back inside, muttering something about forgetting his headphones inside.  Which he had, thankfully, forgotten so he at least didn’t look like a complete idiot.

“What are you mumbling about?”  He startled at Kuroo’s voice and then ended the call he had forgotten he was even still on before he shoved the phone into his pocket.

Hinata was standing in the door way, one hand holding the door open, and studying Kei.

“Something wrong?”  Kei asked with as much venom as he could muster.  Which wasn’t much when he was facing down Hinata these days, to be honest; the sharp thorns and brittle branches of his personality had grown softer and more pliable over the last two years.

Hinata’s gaze narrowed and the door swung shut behind him as he stepped into the room.  Kei’s mouth went dry and the hairs on his arms stood on end.  It was almost like being on the end of Hinata’s focus during a game only this focus was narrow and pinpoint instead of wide and all encompassing.  He felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, scurrying and about to burn up, as Hinata stalked across the small clubroom and Kei’s back hit the far wall before he even registered that he was backing away from Hinata.  He scoffed and tilted his head to look down his nose at Hinata and he refused to think about the freckles light on Hinata’s cheeks from the summer sun or the way Hinata’s almost too long hair was an unruly mess and how his fingers itched to drag through it even though it’s still sweat damp from practice.  He especially refused to think about how much he wanted to hug Hinata and tuck him under his chin and maybe kiss the wrinkle in his brow from the way he was frowning up at Kei.

“What do you want, Shrimp?”  It was Hinata’s turn to scoff as he cornered Kei and stepped into his space.

“I kind of like your dumb face too, Stingyshima,” he announced.

“Of course you heard that.  Because why would anything in my life not be a disaster.”

“Oh?  Liking me is a disaster?”

“Of course it is.  Have you met you?  You are a walking disaster,” Kei snapped back, suddenly feeling very vulnerable with Hinata mere inches from him and rising up onto his toes to slide even closer.  He frowned and jerked back when he realized he had been leaning down to meet Hinata.

“So if you’re my boyfriend then would that make you a disaster too?”

Kei reached out to shove Hinata out of his way and froze when the words sunk in.

“Boyfriend?”

“Did you, oh brilliant one, miss the part where I said I like your dumb face too?  I mean I like the rest of you, for whatever reason.  Even your jerk-like personality.  So.  Be my boyfriend?”

Kei watched, fascinated, as Hinata bit his lip and rocked back on his heels and out of Kei’s space, suddenly unsure of himself.  He was equally fascinated by the blush creeping along Hinata’s cheeks - a blush he could feel himself mirroring - and the way Hinata’s fingers started twitching before he suddenly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

“We’ll be disasters together I suppose,” Kei muttered as he finished reaching out and, instead of shoving Hinata out of the way, pulled Hinata to his chest for a hug.  “Yes I’ll be your boyfriend.”

Hinata’s arms were around him immediately and Hinata let out a happy hum as he buried his face into Kei’s chest.  They had a few moments of blissfulness before the club room door slammed open and Kageyama stormed inside.  He eyed the two of them against the far wall, blinked a few times at the sight of Kei willingly accepting Hinata’s hug, and the sighed deeply, like the entire world had disappointed him.

“Okay.  Now that the confession scene is over can we go, Hinata?  I’m hungry and you said you were paying for the meat buns today.”

“Oh, meat buns?  Hinata you’re paying for mine too, right?”  Kei blinked and smiled sweetly down at Hinata, who turned bright red at the sight.  Then he punched Kei in the stomach and stomped way, grabbing Kageyama’s arm on the way past and grumbling about dumb stingy boyfriends.  Kei finally locked the club room door and headed down the stairs just in time to see Hinata and Kageyama racing away towards the front gate and then down the street.

“There he goes,” Kei said to himself, smile curling his lips, “my boyfriend.”


	21. IwaBoku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: can you write more stuff with boku and iwa? i love the way you get them both across. maybe them in college together or iwa supporting bo in the nationals?

Unfair.  Bokuto Koutarou was unfair.  He was unfair and unreal and at this point Hajime was starting to wonder if all those hours of binge watching alien conspiracy documentaries with Oikawa over the years was finally starting to catch up with him because he was starting to debate if Bokuto was even human.  It was entirely possible that he wasn’t.  Because no human being should be this unreal.

Not only was he funny and kind hearted and a hell of a lot smarter than he ever let on he also, apparently, loved kids and animals.

As part of his work-study program Hajime was on duty at the animal shelter the day Bokuto wandered in followed by what seemed like a small herd of children.  Bokuto had explained, as he and Hajime carefully watched the kids giving the puppies in the puppy room some much needed attention, that he volunteered as a kind of mentor for kids in an after school program of sorts.  Three times a week he took them on outings to a nearby park or to an arcade or sometimes they played various games in the gym or did craft time at the library.  The library where Tsukishima - someone whose name Hajime only faintly remembers - works part time in, of all places, the kid’s room, Bokuto had told him with a gleeful laugh.  Hajime didn’t know why it was so amusing but he couldn’t help but smile when he heard that laugh.

“Well I’m here most days after classes for at least a few hours,” Hajime found himself saying as Bokuto hefted up Mochi, a seven month old grey Newfoundland puppy, like she weighed as much as a bag of groceries.  “So, uh.”  He blinked a few times while he tried to remember the point he had been trying to make.  One of the kids started laughing as Dango, Mochi’s brother, knocked them over and started licking their face.  “Oh.  If you get permission from their parents and all that you’re more than welcome to bring them in and play with the animals as a regular thing.”

Bokuto’s face had lit up like Hajime had just told him he would never have to pay for groceries again in his life.

“You mean that?  That would be so awesome!  You’re a great guy, Iwaizumi!”

Hajime scoffed quietly and gestured towards the other rooms in the shelter.  “The animals would love more attention.  Just be sure that if they’re going to want to interact with the cats they understand that our cats almost all have claws so the parents should be aware of any potential scratches and all of that sort of thing.  If there’s any problems or questions let me know.”

Bokuto swayed back and forth with Mochi a few times before putting her down so she could run off and join her brother in a rousing game that seemed to consist of chasing the kids around the room until they all collapsed into a pile of giggles and fur.  Hajime did his best not to stare but it wasn’t easy.  Because while objectively he knew he had nice arms and all that he never fully understood how distracting such a thing could be.  But Bokuto’s arms sure were distracting in that nice snug long sleeve shirt of his as he quickly patted the dog hair from himself and turned that grin on Hajime once again.  He was starting to wondering if there was a lower setting or if all of his smiles could compete with the sun in brightness and intensity.

“So,” Bokuto drug out the word, voice rising questioningly.  Hajime hummed questioningly in response.  Bokuto’s smile grew even brighter.  “Do I get your number?  You know.  In case I have any problems.  Or questions.”

“That depends.  What kind of questions are you going to ask me?”

Bokuto bit his lip and Hajime had to stick his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out and smoothing over the indentation with his thumb.  He was in so deep.  

“Oh you know,” Bokuto said.  “When I can bring the kids back.  If I can stop by without them.  If I can take you out for dinner sometime.  Those sorts of questions.”

Bokuto Koutarou was unfair and unreal and far too excited for Hajime to handle when he held out his hand for Bokuto’s phone and put his number in.  He waved goodbye to all the kids as they left, already excited at the news that they were welcome to come back anytime with Bokuto or with their families, and smiled when he heard his phone buzzing at the counter with a new message.

 

> [unknown contact]: is it too soon to ask you out for dinner tonight?  
> [me]: you’ll have to actually ask me to find out  
> [unknown contact]: IWAIZUMI WILL YOU GO OUT TO DINNER WITH ME?  
> [unknown contact]: sorry I didn’t mean to do that.  I mean I meant to ask that but I didn’t mean to be so capslocky about it.  
> [me]: BOKUTO I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO GO OUT TO DINNER WITH YOU.  
> [me]: didn’t want you to feel like I was less enthusiastic than you   
> [me]: I’m done here at seven.  Meet me back here?  
> [unknown contact]: definitely


	22. AsaHanaMatsu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mizoguchiest asked: for the drabble prompt!! matsukawa issei and 11) “i’m sure that sounded different in your head, but please never say that again.”

**soft makki gentle makki:**  and THAT’S why I can’t step foot inside Peaches and Crème Bakery anymore  
 **Ssssassahi:**  I knew you for like four months when we were twelve  
 **Ssssassahi:**  How did you even find me?  Why did you find me?  
 **Ssssassahi:** What did I do to deserve this fate?

 **Big Ass Tree:**  Takahiro.  I love you so much.  
 **Big Ass Tree:** This is why I keep you around.  You bring joy to my life and lead by example of what not to do in a public setting.  
 **Sssassahi:** No but seriously.  Why did you add me to your friends list Hanamaki?  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  cause u r my friend Azumane  
 **Sssassahi:**  *squints*  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  do u not trust me?  
 **Sssassahi:**  about as far as I could throw you  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  I HAVE SEEN YOURS ARMS AZUMANE YOU COULD THROW HIM PRETTY FAR  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  WOAH  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  COCKSLAP IM SORRY  
 **Sssassahi:**  …..  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  cockslap  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  you know that was supposed to be cockslap and im not even gonna fix it  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  capslock.  it was supposed to say capslock.  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  Matsukawa Issei marry me.  Right now.  I love you.  
 **Sssassahi:**  if I remove myself from this chat you’ll just add me right back won’t you?  
 **Sssassahi:**  I am a good person.  I eat my vegetables and listened to my parents growing up and did my homework most of the time.  
 **Sssassahi:**  what did I do do deserve this  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  do do  
 **soft makki gentle makki:** do do

—

 **Sssassahi:**  okay but serious question  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  butt  
 **Sssassahi:**  *sighs*  why am I in this chat?  like.  why am I here with you two?  Serious question.  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  because we love you?  because you’re pretty cool?  because you’re secretly a dick and one of us?  
 **Sssassahi:**  I am not sure if I should be offended that you think I’m a dick or that you think I’m like you in any way  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  OUCH AZUMANE I’M HURT  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  whoops cockslap again my bad friends  
 **Sssassahi:**  why do you have to call it that?  why must you be so crude?  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  oh bite me Azumane I’ll be as crude as I want   
**Big Ass Tree:**  （￣～￣）  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  sorry I’m late to the convo but yeah you’re kind of a dick babe   
**soft makki gentle makki:**  but you’re my dick  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  awww love you too babe  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  wait.  if I’m _your_ dick and I told Azumane to bite me  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  waiting  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  wait.  no.  Issei I swear if you  
 **Big Ass Tree:** does that mean Azumane’s biting your dick?  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  I take it back.  I no longer love you.  
 **Sssassahi:**  ….  
 **Sssassahi:** Okay.  I am totally kink shaming you now.  Just so you know.  
 **Sssassahi:**  that may have sounded different in your head but please never say that again  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  you’re kinkshaming me Azumane?  Rude.  
 **Big Ass Tree:** RUDE  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  COCKSLAP  
 **Sssassahi:** and we’re back to our usual programming

—

 **Big Ass Tree:**  ahahaha vore  
 **soft makki gentle makki:** Vore is not a laughing matter, Issei, it is a scourge on our society.  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  And why are we even talking about this again?  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  it’s hilarious how much you dislike it  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  Moral Fiber is hilarious to you?  
 **Sssassahi:**  ….  
 **Sssassahi:**  you know… fiber is something you often eat.  
 **Big Ass Tree:** V O R E  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  I trusted you, Azumane.  
 **Big Ass Tree:** ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US  
 **Sssassahi:**  |_・)  
 **Sssassahi:** crap  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  >>   **Sssassahi:**  *sighs*  why am I in this chat?  like.  why am I here with you two?  Serious question.  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  >> **Big Ass Tree:** because we love you?  because you’re pretty cool?  because you’re secretly a dick and one of us?  
 **soft makki gentle makki:** you are my kind of people Azumane.  I knew it when we were twelve.  I knew it when I got your contact info from that demonic angel friend of yours.  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  All that’s left is for you to come over and make out with us and then you’ll truly be one of us.  
 **Sssassahi:**  I think I want out of this friendship  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  awwwwwwwwwwwww he called us friends.  Issei come hold me I’m swooning.  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  auhoav5 64thjrg  
 **Sssassahi:** Are you two seriously-  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  [image received]  
 **Sssassahi:** I did not need to see that  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  ur just jelly cause ur not part of this deliciousness  
 **Sssassahi:**  aaaand I’m done

 

 **Sssassahi** has left the conversation

 **soft makki gentle makki** has added **Sssassahi** to the conversation

 

 **Sssassahi:** | ￣ヘ￣|

 

 **Sssassahi** has left the conversation

 **soft makki gentle makki** has added **Sssassahi** to the conversation

 **Sssassahi** has left the conversation

 **soft makki gentle makki** has added **Sssassahi** to the conversation

 **Sssassahi** has left the conversation

 **soft makki gentle makki** has added **Sssassahi** to the conversation

 **Sssassahi** has left the conversation

 **soft makki gentle makki** has added **Sssassahi** to the conversation

  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  (≧▽≦)  
 **Sssassahi:**  *sighs forever*  
 **soft makki gentle makki:**  AINT NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM GETTIN TO YOU BABE  
 **Sssassahi:** that sounds stalkerish  
 **Big Ass Tree:**  COCKSLAP  
 **Sssassahi:**  *siiiiiiiiiigh*


	23. AkaKyou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: i love you the way a knife loves a heart the way a bomb loves a crowd the way your mother warned you about, essentially. (the way a human loves another human) akakyou ;D
> 
> (note this chapter is approx 2600 words so it's a bit longer than most of the other chapters)

It wasn’t love at first sight.  That kind of thing was for fairy tales and stories spun late at night whispered under stars.  No.  The first emotion Keiji felt when he spotted the two men sauntering into his gym was something much more akin to suspicion.  Men like them didn’t just wander into his gym on accident.  They walked in with a goal in mind and with a promise in their step.  A promise of what, he wasn’t entirely sure.  But it was something that didn’t bode well for Keiji, he knew that much.

“You’re staring,” Ushijima stated without even looking up from the binder of clients he was skimming through.

“They’re trouble,” Keiji replied.

“You think every person who walks through the door that isn’t a regular, an obvious police officer, or a thirteen year old looking to ‘get buff’ and impress someone, is trouble.”

Keiji leaned back against the reception counter and watched the two newcomers look over the gym.  They headed to the opposite side of the gym and Keiji made to follow them, to see if they needed help.  Or something.  Ushijima stopped him with one large hand on Keiji’s shoulder and a heavy sigh.  Normally neither of those things would actually stop Keiji.  But they were followed by a sheet of paper from the binder being rippled inches from his nose with Keiji’s 10AM appointment information on it.

“Michimiya doesn’t even need my help.  She knows exactly what she’s doing.”

“She doesn’t like training alone.”  The paper rippled again and Keiji tried to yank it from Ushijima’s hand.  “And she gets distracted when I try to train with her.  And you refuse to let us hire anyone else.  Therefore you are her trainer.”

“Why do you have to be logical about things all the time?”

“I don’t know how to be any other way, Akaashi.  And you are being petty and rude.”

“I don’t know how to be any other way,” Keiji retorted as he ducked under the paper and smiled at Ushijima.  He still had a few minutes before Michimiya would hurry through the door, flushed and worried about being late and inconveniencing others even though they had assured her time and again that their gym didn’t really do a lot of one-on-one sessions so she wasn’t inconveniencing anyone, save for herself and her blood pressure perhaps.

“If they are potential paying customers try not to antagonize them too much.”

Keiji waved over his shoulder to show he heard and sidled up to the two men.  They were both roughly the same size, a bit shorter than him though not by too much, just enough to be noticeable really, and very obviously muscular.  They obviously weren’t kids looking to impress anyone.  They didn’t give him that police officer vibe either but they were spending far too much time studying the place for him to feel entirely comfortable.  His instincts had rarely ever betrayed him and just looking at the two of them made him wary.

“Something I can help you with or are you just here to enjoy the view?”

Keiji heard Ushijima let out a quiet grunt and didn’t have to turn around to know he was massaging his temples and shaking his head at Keiji.  What could he say?  Shy and demure and subtle weren’t exactly his strong suits.  He was a fighter, not a dancer, and he preferred getting straight to the point.

The shorter one - with the sturdy square jaw and the short dark hair and the build solid enough he could be the foundation for a damn building - let out an amused snort and turned to him, making no effort to hide his perusal of Keiji.

“If I say both what do I get?”

The one with the close cropped hair with the unusual dye job scoffed and crossed his arms, though he didn’t turn away from the board listing their equipment and their, admittedly, meager amount of classes.

“You most likely get us banned from the fourth gym in as many months and, in case you forgot, the last gym less than forty minutes away from our building,” he said.

“Hey, that last one wasn’t my fault.”

“You got into an argument, shattered one of the huge mirrors, and set off the fire alarm.”

“He started it.”

“I liked that gym.”

“You just liked the pretty fluffy haired trainer who ogled your butt in your workout shorts.”

“I hate you, Daichi.”

“Love you too, Kentarou.”

Keiji glanced between them a few times, not sure if he should interrupt, and was actually relieved to hear the door clanging open with Michimiya’s arrival.

“Well as fascinating as this has been I have an appointment so if you do need anything please, please, do not hesitate to ask-” he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, “-my coworker sitting over there at the desk.”  Keiji spun on his heel and met up with Michimiya near the locker room doors.

“Who are they?” Michimiya asked him breathlessly.

“Trouble,” Keiji replied.

—

Trouble, Keiji quickly discovered, seemed to be putting it mildly.  Sure neither of them caused any property damage or scared away any gym members, something he had been wary of after hearing them talk that first day.  But they were a distraction.  To him and Ushijima and more than a few of their regular gym members and even some of their special members and the more Keiji learned about them the more he wanted to ask them to never return to his gym, for the sake of his own peace of mind and nothing else.  Like his heart and the way it seemed to flutter and pound and throb against his ribs when Kyoutani - because Keiji refused to call him Kentarou no matter how much the other man claimed to not be bothered by the familiarity - huffed at something Ushijima said or eyed Keiji like he wanted to go a few rounds in the ring with him.

Something that could technically happen if Keiji would be inclined to inform Kyoutani or Sawamura about their special membership.

But Kyoutani made Keiji’s skin itch for a bloody fight and Sawamura distracted Ushijima (and Michimiya the poor thing she was a bit overwhelmed when she came in and saw Ushijima and Sawamura stretching together near the treadmills one day) in a way that Keiji hadn’t been entirely sure Ushijima could be distracted.  So letting them in on the special membership was not something he was keen on.  The fights in the ring well after the gym closed up for the day were about the only solace he got from distractions and fluttering pulses and the swell of Kyoutani’s muscles under his tank tops.

Which of course meant that he looked up from wrapping his hands one night to spot Kyoutani and Sawamura sauntering in through the door to the basement with Ushijima right behind them, looking like he would be content to follow Sawamura straight off a cliff into the sea.  Sawamura took in the scene with a calm sort of look that screamed of experience and made warning bells ring in Keiji’s head.  Kyoutani, on the other hand, looked like a cocky teenager ready for a quick and dirty scuffle behind the local ice cream shop, all sharp glances and twitching fingers and looking like he had a score to settle with the world.  The warning bells rose to a deafening clamor when Kyoutani’s eyes met his and Kyoutani grinned.

“Please do not break anything,” Ushijima stated as he took his normal place at Keiji’s side and the petty part of Keiji wanted to ask why Ushijima wasn’t on the other side of the basement drooling over Sawamura’s shoulder as he helped Kyoutani prep for a turn in the ring.  “Including your opponent and your left ankle.  You’ve been putting less weight on it today.”  Ushijima picked up said ankle and poked at it a little until Keiji moved down the bench to yank it away.  Ushijima simply pulled him back across the bench so he could properly wrap it for him.

The small crowd in the basement jeered and cheered and shouted, coming to live around them, as Tanaka and Yamamoto pulled themselves into the ring and started insulting each other. Their fight would be a good one.  Despite their rough appearances and proclivity for trash talking they were both fair fighters, rarely stooping to dirty tricks or underhanded tactics, and they both had incredible stamina.  Matsukawa raised his arm in the air and wriggled his fingers until the crowd quieted enough that he wouldn’t have to shout to be heard.

“Rules are the same as always.  You fight however you wanna fight.  Pin and tap out.  My call is final.  I step in you stop or I will put you down myself.  We clear?”  A round of agreeing shouts filled the air and Matsukawa smiled as he stepped back out of the ring.  “Go for it.”

—

Ushijima rarely participated in the fighting on a normal night, he preferred fewer people and less noise, but Keiji was a regular fixture at them.  He had fought everyone in the basement at least once, save the two newcomers, and had won against all of them more often than not.  He wasn’t the champion, there wasn’t really one and if it was it would probably be Matsukawa if they gave the title out for the percentage of wins over losses, but if asked everyone would say he was the person to go up against if you were looking for a challenge.

Keiji had been told more than once over the years that he was built delicately.  He couldn’t understand what that meant.  His hands were large, his fingers were bony, he perpetually felt that his arms were too long and awkward.  The only things he would really consider being able to be seen as delicate about himself were his nose - before it was broken last spring anyway - and his flexibility, and even that wasn’t nearly as good as it probably could have been.

But somehow he gave off a delicate vibe, or so he had been told, that made others underestimate him.  Usually it was their downfall.

He heard the voices in the room rise in anticipation when Kyoutani slipped into the ring across from him.  Seeing someone fight him for the first time was one of their group’s favorite things, especially when they had as cocky of a look on their face as Kyoutani did and honestly Keiji couldn’t wait for the chance to wipe it from his face.

Ushijima wouldn’t have let Sawamura and Kyoutani in tonight if they hadn’t both shown promise of a challenge.  Even with that kept in mind Kyoutani wasn’t an easy opponent.  His punches were hard when they landed and it only took a couple for Keiji to realize that they were much more evenly matched than he expected.  After a few minutes of trading blows and holds Keiji was tired of the cocky grin still on Kyoutani’s face and decided that it had been more than enough time of civilized fighting.

The moment he shifted his weight to brace for Kyoutani’s next swing he felt the crowd stir.  They knew what sort of show was coming now and they were eager to see how Kyoutani would play along.

The thing was, well, Keiji wasn’t known for fighting fair.  He didn’t hit as hard as Ushijima and he wasn’t scrappy like Hinata.  But he was determined to win even if he had to play a little dirty to get it.

So the next moment when Kyoutani locked him in a hold he let his instincts kick in and sank his teeth into Kyoutani’s arm.  To his credit the other man didn’t jerk away immediately and only let out a surprised grunt before he loosened his grip so he could switch and sweep Keiji’s legs out from under him.  Keiji was back on his feet in an instant and he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand almost absently as Kyoutani looked at the bite mark on his arm and flexed his fingers.

“So that’s how it is,” Kyoutani said just loud enough for Keiji to hear.  “I wondered when you’d get serious.”

The fight was called by Matsukawa just under twenty minutes later when it became pretty clear that neither of them were going to win by their normal rules.  Kyoutani was missing his shirt - Keiji had yanked it over Kyoutani’s head halfway through in a dirty move that had simply resulted in Kyoutani ripping his shirt and tossing it to the side before trying to tackle Keiji - and Keiji’s jaw was sore from all the times he had bitten Kyoutani’s arms and legs.  They were both sporting what would soon be a rainbow of bruises from shin to collarbone and at least a dozen lightly bleeding scrapes and scratches and bites each.  It was a match that wouldn’t be forgotten by anyone anytime soon and even the one who hadn’t gotten to fight because of how long Keiji’s match had lasted weren’t disappointed.

Ushijima politely ushered the rest of them out after Keiji finally gave in to his pointed stare and dropped onto the bench and held his hands up in surrender.

“There is an extra first aid kit in the closet behind you,” Ushijima announced a few moments later and Keiji’s eyes snapped open.

Kyoutani was sprawled on the bench set up on the other side of the room with Sawamura, arms crossed over his chest, staring down at him.  Keiji snorted and then Ushijima was standing over him looking wholly unimpressed.

“Do you feel better now that you got that out of your system?”  Ushijima pulled his own first aid kit from under the bench and started unwrapping Keiji’s hands and ankle.  “Have you assured yourself you are king of the jungle still?”  Keiji opened his mouth to snap back at Ushijima just in time for a hiss of surprised pain to escape when Ushijima popped his dislocated pinkie back into place.  “If I didn’t know you’d balk and refuse I would suggest you go see Iwaizumi about these.  You pushed yourself harder than normal.”

Ushijima’s fingers pressed against Keiji’s ankle carefully as he massaged the sore muscles and stretched his foot this way and that.

“I’ll go see him when I’m dead.”  Keiji didn’t have anything against Iwaizumi, not really.  He just wasn’t a fan of doctor’s offices or hospitals or Iwaizumi’s live in receptionist slash boyfriend giving him smirky little looks all the time.  “Until then I trust you to patch me up.”

Ushijima simply shook his head at Keiji.

—

Keiji bit his lip to muffle himself and smacked the back of his head against the wall.  He had been expecting some sort of retaliation from Kyoutani after their fight.  A challenge for a rematch in or out of the ring.  Subtle races on the treadmills.  Increased glaring when Kyoutani and Sawamura showed up to work out.  Somehow he hadn’t imagined the retaliation would be finding himself shoved into his  small office and pinned against the far wall as Kyoutani went to work marking up the side of his neck.

Not that Keiji was complaining, even though he was a little less than thrilled at being pinned against a surface in his own office.  But that was easily changed.

He wedged his knee up between them and shoved.  Kyoutani stumbled back, surprised at the sudden action, and stumbled into the chair sitting at Keiji’s desk.  Something fell off the other side even as Keiji straddle Kyoutani’s lap and curled down over him possessively.  It was okay.  He had a feeling that collateral damage was something they were both used to in their real lines of work.


	24. AsaSuga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ryekamasaki asked: asasuga and easasier :P

Asahi flips his book out of his lap and onto the floor with a pained whine.  Then he flops backwards onto his bed and scrubs his hands against his face.  He takes a few deep breaths before his hands drop to the bed with a muffled thump.  A few moments pass in silence before he whines again and bounces on the bed a little, a lackluster imitation of a child’s temper tantrum.

“Do you feel better now?”  Suga asks.  He’s sitting cross-legged on Asahi’s desk with his own book open on his lap.  “Did your-” he squints at the floor, “- _Childhood Development and You_  book offend you in some way?”

“I can’t do this, Koushi.”  Asahi sighs deeply and rolls onto his stomach to bury his face in his pillows.  “It was bad enough trying to get through this stuff back at Karasuno and that was when you were all taking the same courses as me and could dumb it down when I needed you to.”

His words are whiny and muffled but Suga must hear them clear enough because he huffs and throws the little rubber stress ball from Asahi’s desk at the back of Asahi’s head.  It’s a direct hit and Asahi whines again.  He hates being like this but he can feel himself falling more and more behind in his classes and he’s half a day away from convincing himself that he’d be better off just dropping out and working full time.

“We never dumbed anything down for you Asahi.  We just explained it differently.”  Suga slides off the desk.

“Cause I’m dumb.”

“Azumane Asahi.”  Asahi forgot how much scolding Suga could fit into his whole name when he was upset.  He also wonders if he just burrows far enough into his pillows if he can pop out under the bed and roll away from all his problems.  And Suga.  Because Suga sounds mad.  Suga repeats himself, poking Asahi in the shoulder and side with each syllable of his name.  He bats at Suga’s hand weakly and eventually rolls onto his side so he can properly give Suga a dirty look.  Which does nothing but it makes him feel minutely better so he keeps it up until Suga sighs and sits on the bed next to him.

“So?”  Suga finally asks.

“There’s so much _there_ ,” Asahi tries to explain.  “It’s all jumbling together no matter how many times I try to read it and nothing is making sense.”

“So it’s not a problem with the words themselves it’s more a problem with how they’re given to you?”  Asahi nods and mumbles something not quite coherent, reaching out to drag Suga closer so he can bury his face against Suga’s hip.  “Is it just this particular book?  Or are other ones giving you trouble?”

Asahi loves that Suga phrases it that way.  It makes it sound like it’s the book’s fault and not his stupid brain being, well, stupid.  He rubs his nose against Suga’s hip and sighs softly.

“Mostly that one.  But I’m not doing so well in my Child Literacy class.  Ironic I know.  That one’s mostly cause I have trouble understanding some of my teacher’s notes.”

Suga starts running his hand through Asahi’s hair and humming softly, the same nonsensical thing that he’s hummed to Asahi since first year whenever Asahi is feeling glum or worried.  Asahi’s nearly drifted off to sleep and completely forgotten about anything to do with studying when Suga lets out a quiet “Oh!” and gently tugs Asahi’s hair.

“Isn’t, oh crap what’s-his-face, um.”  He squints his eyes shut and scrunches his face up adorably when Asahi tilts his head to the side to watch him.  His eyes pop open and Asahi swears they’re sparkling.  Though he tends to swear that a lot.  Suga’s a very bright and sparkly person in Asahi’s mind.  “Yaku.  The libero from Nekoma.  Isn’t he in a bunch of your classes?  I thought someone said he was in a similar course?”

“I can’t,” Asahi replies immediately.  “I don’t want to bother him.  He’s probably got enough on his plate already.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to see if he maybe needs a study partner would it?”

“That would require finding him.  And talking to him.”

Suga smiles and then bends down so he can drop a kiss on Asahi’s temple.

“That’s where I come in my love.”

—

Asahi wants to die.  He wants to curl up into a tiny little pillbug and be crushed.  He wants to fall asleep and wake up kidnapped in the woods in some secret bunker being held prisoner by alien conspiracy theorists and never come home again.

Yaku blinks up at him a few times and then sighs.

“Ugh.  Six degrees of separation tells me that we’re going to be study partners for awhile.”

“’Six degrees of separation’?”

Yaku waves Asahi into his dorm room and snorts.

“Yeah.  That’s pretty much how being friends with Kuroo works for me.  It’s always ‘I know a guy who knows a guy’ and the next thing I know I’m wearing a tutu and signing karaoke with ten year olds.”

“You have very odd friends,” Asahi says slowly.  Yaku doesn’t have a desk or anything in his room so Asahi sinks to the floor and settles with his back against Yaku’s bed and his backpack in his lap.

Yaku shrugs.  “I mean, you’re not wrong.”  He pulls a pile of notebooks and papers across his bed and starts digging through them.  “So I don’t remember seeing you in my Early Development lectures.  I’ve got the early ones with Himura.”

“Mine’s the afternoon one.”

—

Yaku, it turns out, is the perfect study partner for Asahi.  He’s a bit disorganized but his notes are clear and short and often have little comics and diagrams drawn in the margins that, despite Yaku’s blushing protests of them being just silly doodles, actually help Asahi a lot with the material.  Plus he’s great at being able to rephrase and explain things to Asahi on the fly and he understands Asahi’s need for a quiet, distraction free study zone.

Also, much to Asahi’s amusement, he has no problems shutting Suga up with a well timed glare or unimpressed stare whenever Suga tries to interrupt them or tease them about being too serious.

“I just want to help you two,” Suga says innocently.  Yaku squints at him, clearly not believing him.

“If you really wanted to help you’d go buy us a couple smoothies and, I dunno, give back rubs.  Not try to distract us with junk food and shiny things.”  Yaku stares at Suga in challenge for a minute and then turns back to his and Asahi’s notes spread out between them on Asahi’s bed.  “This test is gonna have an essay portion and I suck at those.”

“Writing essays isn’t so bad for me most of the time.  It’s trying to read the three paragraphs of instructions that come before it that kill me.”

Suga shuffles around the room quietly for a few minutes while they discuss ways to break both the essay and instructions up so they can tackle it and then he’s kissing Asahi’s cheek and saying something about being back soon and Asahi nods distractedly, smiling when Suga runs his hands through Yaku’s hair and gets a slap on his thigh in retaliation.  Then Suga’s gone and he and Yaku immerse themselves in their notes.

 

Something cold touches his cheek and he yelps in surprise.  Yaku does the same thing across from him and they turn in unison.  Suga grins at them both and wiggles the cold cups in his hand.

“Smoothies.”  He hands them off and tosses his bag on Asahi’s desk.  “You two do realize you’ve been at it for like two and a half hours, right?”

Yaku lets out a happy noise as he drinks his smoothie.  Asahi sits up straight and rolls his shoulders before he starts in on his smoothie.  Suga rolls up the sleeves of his long sleeved t-shirt and sits on the bed behind Yaku and Asahi watches in amusement as Yaku goes from content to suspicious to surprised to a rapidly melting puddle of goo in a matter of seconds.

“Holy shit,” Yaku sighs.  Suga continues to rub and press at the muscles in Yaku’s back.  “You’re really good at this.”

“I’ve always been good with my hands.”  Suga winks at Asahi over Yaku’s shoulder.  “Just ask Asahi.”

“And you just went back into creepy territory,” Yaku mutters.  He tries to scoot away from Suga but Suga tugs on the back of his shirt and yanks him right back where he was.  From where he’s sitting Asahi doesn’t think it looks like Yaku is trying all that hard to get away.  But he just sips his smoothie and watches the two of them bicker quietly.

—

“You can say it you know.”  Suga’s smiling at him, soft and sweet and syrupy, with his head on Asahi’s shoulder and Asahi’s  _Childhood Development and You_  textbook open on his lap.  Asahi sighs.

“You, Sugawara Koushi, were right.  As usual.”

“And?”

“And you’re a smug brat,” Yaku says from Asahi’s other side with his own sweet smile when Suga leans forward to glare at him.

“And things are easier if I just trust you,” Asahi answers.  “Because you’re usually right.”

“And that is why Asahi is my favorite boyfriend.”

“Asahi is your only boyfriend.”  Yaku rolls his eyes and focuses back on the book in his own lap.

“For now,” Suga mutters.


	25. AsaSuga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: esasier and asasuga ;)

Things weren’t supposed to be like this.  His life wasn’t supposed to turn out this way.  He was supposed to be living some quiet life in a somewhat boring but reliable profession - an accountant, maybe, with regular hours and overtime and a closet full of business suits - with somewhat boring and mostly reliable coworkers.  Maybe in some alternate universe he was an accountant and wore suits and had short hair and hid himself away in a cubicle for hours on end.

In this universe he ties his shoulder length hair up in a messy bun, pulls on one of his favorite worn-soft t-shirts, and steps into a pair of greasy coveralls.

He hangs up the phone after finally managing to pinpoint an appointment time for Mizushima to bring his car in for a checkup and sets a stern look on his face when he hears the familiar rumble of the motorcycle a moment before the garage door rattles and groans open just enough for said motorcycle - and it’s rider - to slip under before it’s sliding back down with a jarring bang that Asahi just knows he’s going to be getting scolded for one of these days.  He’s just not sure if it will be from Akaashi at the travel agency to their left or from Iwaizumi at the small clinic to their right.  Or maybe from both of them at the same time since they live together in the apartment complex just behind the lot that the three buildings - travel agency, garage, clinic - are on.

“You’re an hour late,” Asahi calls out as soon as the bike is parked and the motor cuts off.  “And you left your underwear in my bathroom again.”  The rider shrugs and takes their time getting off the bike.  “Honestly after last night I’m surprised you can ride that thing,” he mutters to himself, shifting on the tall rolling chair they have at the desk.  “I can barely sit down today.”

A sleek orange and black helmet is dropped gently on the desk.  Asahi moves it to it’s proper place on the shelf next to the desk, above a row of keys for the cars and bikes already there and waiting to be worked on.

“Hey handsome.”  He glances up and Suga winks at him.  “Did you miss me?”

“Not nearly as much as I miss having a mechanic who actually shows up when they’re supposed to.”  Asahi winks obnoxiously at Suga and turns back to the computer monitor.  “Yoshikawa is bringing her bike over in about twenty minutes and the parts for Tachibana’s bike should be delivered today as well.”

Suga tosses his jacket at Asahi’s face and heads over to grab his own coveralls with a huff.

–

“What I wouldn’t give to just bend you over the desk and have my way with you,” Suga states, voice as calm and collected as if he’s talking about the weather.  He eyes Asahi like Asahi is the best thing he’s seen in ages and Asahi glances down at his grease stained coveralls with the arms tied around his waist and wonders what Suga sees there.  If the sweat stained sleeveless tee and the smudge of grease on his bicep and the dirty knees of his coveralls and the oil stain on the hip of them look different to Suga than they do to him.

Then again he’s sure that he sees the smear across Suga’s cheek from where he had wiped at it with the back of his hand earlier and the messy damp tangles of his hair from being in the humid shop all day and the greasy hand prints on his coveralls differently than Suga does.

A garage is a dirty place and mechanics are dirty people.  He had grown used to the smell of oil and the dirt caked under his fingernails a long time ago.  It wasn’t for everyone and he had more than a few people he had been with who didn’t like it much.  But it was as much a part of him anymore as his brown eyes and broad shoulders.

Suga doesn’t seem to have a problem with it.  Any of it.  The dirt, the grease, the lingering smell of oil, the sweaty mess of hair falling from Asahi’s loose bun.

“That’s funny,” Asahi finally replies as they finish their lunches and move to toss the garbage in the bin in the corner.  “I was thinking something similar about you and that wall back there.”

Suga stumbles over thin air and Asahi watches his cheeks flush from something other than the humidity in the shop.  He reaches out and wipes the smear of dirt from Suga’s cheek with the last of his napkins.

He leaves a kiss in the clean spot and leaves Suga glaring after him when the phone rings and he heads back to the desk to answer it.

–

“You know I would have thought sleeping with my boss would make things easier for me at work.”  Suga wipes the sweat from his face with his coverall sleeve, succeeding in doing little more than smearing around the greasy smudges already there and maybe adding a couple more.  He stretches, twisting his back and neck until the pop, and finishes typing the last info for Yoshikawa’s bike into the computer.

Asahi hums and finishes sweeping.

“Maybe if you showed up on time and stopped ogling your boss at work and leaving your underwear in his bathroom when you came over then it would be easier for you.”

“You’re the one who came all over my underwear first last night so I thought it was only fair I leave it.”

“Mhmm.”

Suga walks past Asahi, slapping his bare arm as he passes, and strips off his coveralls.  It takes Asahi a moment to stop watching the graceful way Suga moves even after a long day of work and look down at his arm to see the dirty hand print Suga left on his bicep, a dark smear that makes the swirling watercolors of his tattoo pop out as Suga starts shutting off the garage lights.

“Besides.  It just means I have an excuse to stop over again tonight.”  Suga grins at him as he grabs his jacket and helmet.  “Meet you at your place?”

“If I say no will you show up anyway?”

Suga pauses with his helmet halfway over his head and then pulls it down so he can squint at Asahi through the shield.

“No,” his voice is muffled, “but I might pout the whole way home and send you dirty texts tonight.”

“Is that a threat or an offer?”

“Yes.”

Asahi pulls his own jacket on and opens the garage door for Suga.  He raps softly on Suga’s helmet when he walks his bike past.

“I’ll see you at my place.”

Suga’s answer is the roar of his bike coming to life under him and a quick wave before he takes off.


	26. TanaTsukki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> title: step, parry

The problem with caring about things, Kei had learned fairly quickly, was that with the caring tended to come that pesky little thing called feelings.  Feelings were like calculus.  Far too cumbersome and something that could stay far away from him thank you very much.  Unfortunately feelings were like calculus.  Required.   For some awful reason that he isn’t sure he wants to know.  All he wants, and he’s pretty certain he isn’t being entirely unreasonable here, is a decent night’s sleep, a passing grade on his next exam, to be able to bend his fingers without wanting to scream, and to not break down and start bawling right here in the middle of class.

He can feel it tight in his throat, feel his eyes burning, his cheeks flushing.  Everything is off balance, unsettled inside him in a way he can’t quite break apart and examine.  Not that he really wants to examine any of it.  Feelings, emotions, wants, needs, things he cares about.  They’re all a jumble of knotted wires, spitting sparks and daring him to try to touch them.   _Just one touch_ , they whisper to him, _one touch_.

 

 

The first tear slips free as he shuffles into the darkness of the storage closet in the gym; he hadn’t broken down in class, so hey, score one for him.

There isn’t even a reason, nothing concrete that he can point to and scream ‘it’s all your fault’ and lay the blame on.  Just these whirls of thoughts and wisps of unease and his shaking fingers and the air thick in his chest as he tries to remember to breathe and not bite through his own lip to stifle himself even though there’s not a soul around to hear him.  Time loses meaning as his breathes come out in shuddered gasps and his throat burns and he nearly doubles over before he stumbles towards the back wall where a stack of mats and boxes await his collapse.  Though he knows he’s missed at least two classes, possibly three, and if he stays here much longer someone will eventually stumble onto his hiding place.

He wants someone to find him.  Wants someone to flip the light on and see the tears on his red cheeks and see his puffy eyes and hear his hoarse voice and the way his breath is catching.  Wants them to see him with his walls nothing but rubble and dust and sand shifting away under water.

His stomach twists.

He dreads the thought of someone finding him.  Someone flipping the light and seeing everything about him ripped open like this and scattered like confetti.  Someone coming in and sifting through the mushy mess of his emotions and scraping him raw.

The sound of approaching footsteps reaches through his haze a moment too late for his flight or fight response to kick in and he simply slumps down, making himself as small as possible as the door swings open on creaky hinges.

He braces for the light but he must let out some noise or shift on the boxes or something because the figure in the doorway pauses.  Each second the light stays off Kei feels himself relaxing marginally.

“Tsukishima?”  Whatever tension had eased from him comes back tenfold as Tanaka’s soft voice reaches him.  Tanaka’s voice isn’t one made for softness, not in Kei’s experience, and Kei isn’t made to receive that softness, which makes the ten seconds that Tanaka stands in the light of the doorway some sort of surreal dream and Kei wonders if he’s hallucinating.  The closet darkens as Tanaka steps inside and the door shuts behind him.

Kei listens to the sound of Tanaka shuffling through in the darkness and feels the warmth radiating from Tanaka as he steps up to Kei.

“Touch?”  Tanaka asks.  He stands within reach but doesn’t move any closer.  Kei wants him to.  Wants him to take the decision out of his hands and just reach out for him.  But Tanaka knows his boundaries these days, their new team knows his boundaries, and he waits patiently.  Patience is another thing that doesn’t suit Tanaka yet somehow does and it makes Kei’s fingers twitch, that contradictory nature.  Though he’s just as contradictory.  Which is why he curls in on himself even as he hooks his heel around Tanaka’s shin and pulls him closer.

Tanaka’s hand is warm on his knee for a minute while he waits for Kei to acknowledge the touch.  Kei wants to leave, find a new corner to curl up in, shove away the warmth in front of him and inhale the cool, stale air of the closet.  He tangles his fingers in Tanaka’s shirt and drops his head just as Tanaka steps forward.

 

 

He’s pretty sure he’s getting snot on Tanaka’s shirt but Tanaka is warm where he’s standing between Kei’s legs and his arms are tight around Kei’s shoulders and he’s holding Kei like there’s nothing more important to him in the world and he hasn’t said a word about Kei’s shuddering sobs and there’s really nothing Kei wants to do about the situation right now other than just continue crying with his face mushed into Tanaka’s chest until he’s completely wrung out and empty inside.  So he does.  And Tanaka lets him without saying a word even when Kei stops crying and slides into shuddery breaths and tiny hiccups that will embarrass the hell out of him later but for now he just lets happen with a reluctant acceptance.  He even leans into Tanaka’s chest when his hug becomes softer and one hand slides from his shoulder and up into his hair, a sensation that makes him just want to start sobbing again even though he’s exhausted now.

Tanaka’s chin drops onto the top of Kei’s head and he grimaces a little when Tanaka digs it in.  But it’s an anchor for him.  Just like the arm around his shoulder and the fingers in his hair and the warmth of Tanaka standing between his legs.

“So are we playing hooky and stuffing ourselves with cake and ice cream instead of going to practice today?”

Kei snorts and rubs his nose on Tanaka’s shirt.  Then he groans softly and pushes himself off the boxes, standing so that now it’s Tanaka’s face pressing into his chest and his chin resting on Tanaka’s head.

“As tempting as that sounds if we skip practice you’re gonna be in serious trouble.”

Tanaka shrugs.  “It would be worth it.”

“I am not worth Himura’s wrath.”

Tanaka scoffs and nods his head so he’s bumping Kei’s chin.  “Our captain doesn’t scare me.”

“Well I find him mildly unsettling and he comes with two other annoyances so I’d really rather just deal with practice.  We can stuff ourselves with cake and ice cream later.”

 

 

His throat is tight and his fingers twitch as the movie plays on in the background, explosions and car chases white noise that masks Tanaka’s quiet snores from his spot passed out with his head in Kei’s lap.  He’s still a jumble of knotted emotions, live wires sparking in the night, but as Tanaka snorts and mutters something in his sleep before he turns and buries his face against Kei’s stomach he realizes he feels grounded.  

Feelings are still an unavoidable requirement in life but maybe they aren’t quite so terrible sometimes.


	27. AkaTanaYui

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> notsuchasecret asked: “it must be hard with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line.” akayuitana

The crowd was loud and the music was louder, dim lights making it hard to see, but she wasn’t hard to find at all.  Her short brown hair curled almost messily around her ears and her brown eyes glittered in the brighter lights from behind the bar as he stepped up next to her bar stool and she turned to him with a questioning smile.

“You dropped something,” Ryuu said casually.

“What?”  He pointed to the ground and she looked.

“Your standards.”

It takes half a beat for her to glance up and stare at him in confusion before she starts laughing.

“Oh my gosh that was terrible.”

He grinned at her and waved for the bartender, ordering himself a drink and a refill for her.

“So tell me.  Someone who looks like you.  Here alone.  What haven’t you been told tonight?”

“Well I can definitely say I haven’t heard any decent lines that’s for sure.”

Ryuu gasped dramatically, hand pressed to his chest.  “You wound me.”

“What about you?  You come to bars by yourself often and hit on random girls?”

“Well I am supposed to be meeting someone but then I saw you here and I just had to come talk with you.”  He smiled at her and nodded his thanks to the bartender when she set their drinks down.  “What can I say?  Sweetness is my weakness and you’re just so sweet it’s distracting.”

He winked at her one last time and headed back into the din of the bar.

 

—

 

Ryuu hopped up onto the bar stool, crossed his arms on the bar, and dropped his chin on them, looking up at her with a pout.  After a minute she turned to him, noted his pout, and reached over to tug on a curl of his blond hair.  She made a pouting face back at him.

“What’s the matter sweet thing?”

“Do you have a band aid?”  Her eyes skipped around his face and then skittered around his limbs for a moment until he spoke up again and her gaze focused on him.  “Cause I scraped my knees falling for you.”

“Oh,” she cooed.  “That one was almost cute.”  He perked up a little.  “Almost.”

He slumped back down, chin digging into his crossed arms, and sighed deeply.

“So cold hearted.”  She patted his shoulder sympathetically.  He peeked up at her through his curly bangs.  “You know.  I’m not an organ donor but I’d be happy to give you my heart.  We could trade.”

“Trade hearts?”

“Or numbers,” he said slyly, netting himself yet another of those gorgeous laughs of hers.  This time she kept laughing and lightly pushed at his shoulder, just enough to rock him on the bar stool a little and he blushed at the contact.  She cooed at him yet again and patted his reddened cheeks.  “Roses are red, my face is too, that only happens when I’m around you.”  Someone on her other side snorted but Ryuu only had eyes for her and the tinge of a blush that was starting to color her cheeks.  “Are you a magician,” he asked innocently, “because whenever I look at you everyone else disappears.”

“You need to go back to the cheesy ones,” she said, hand dropping to his shoulder and lingering there.  “Those didn’t make me blush so much.”

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out with a frown that deepened when she dropped her hand from his shoulder.

“I have to go.”  He stood up and winked at her.  “Gotta go tell all my friends I was touched by an angel.”

“And there they are.”

 

—

 

Ryuu slipped up behind her bar stool and cleared his throat.  She turned around and braced her back against the bar.  She turned her wrist and glanced at her watch pointedly.

“Hope this is a good one.”

“Will you make me the happiest and luckiest man in the world and marry me for just one night?”

She claps a hand over her mouth.  A loud snort sounds from her left and the guy beside her finally turns from the bar to give Ryuu the most unimpressed look he had ever been given in his life.

“It must be hard with your sense of direction,” the man said coolly, “never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line.”  
  


Ryuu raised his brows.

“Do you have the time?” Ryuu asked.  The man gave him a confused look.  “You know.  The time.  What time is it?”

“It’s uh,” he glanced down at his watch, “9:23 PM why?”

“Thanks.” Ryuu grinned.  “I just wanted to be able to remember the exact moment I first spoke to the man of my dreams.”

“What?” he asked flatly, blush coloring his cheeks.

“Do you have a name or can I call you mine?”

The man blinked at him a few times, face flushing even more.  “Excuse me?”

“Yui.  I think I broke him.”  Ryuu let her tug him back until he sat on her lap and she tucked her head under his arm to look at the man now in front of them. It was a bit awkward but the expression on the man’s face was priceless and worth it.  The man looked between their faces with a frown.

“My name is Yui.  This is my boyfriend Ryuu,” she explained.  “We would love it if you would maybe come home with us tonight?”

He stared at them a little longer, eyes darting between them, and then sighs quietly.

“My name is Keiji,” he finally said with a tiny smile.  “Remember it because you’ll be screaming it later.”

“Holy shit,” Ryuu whispered, awed.

“We are going back,” Yui declared and squeezed Ryuu’s waist once, hard.  She met Keiji’s eyes.  “Right now.”

“Agreed,” Keiji and Ryuu said in unison.

Yui smiled sweetly.  “Oh this is gonna be fun.”


End file.
